


I don’t know who I’am, but I know I’m yours

by Linisen



Series: Tackles and spins, our love will give me wings [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: 18OI AU Week 2019: Day 2, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Middle School, Blushing falling in love, Don't copy to another site, Falling In Love, Figure skater!Yuuri, Fluff, Growing Up Together, Hockey player!Victor, IT'S TOO PURE AND CUTE, M/M, Romance, Teenagers falling in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-01
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-04-06 04:38:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 30,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19055389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linisen/pseuds/Linisen
Summary: “Chriiis, what am I going to do?” Victor whines as he looks across the wide corridor at the group of boys he’s been eyeing for weeks now. Or is it months? It feels like years.“Just go over there and talk to him? How hard can it be?”“Easy for you to say,” Victor grumbles, very carefully eyeing the table. The cute boy seems to have found a group to hang out with, the same he was with they day Victor saw him that first day. They seem like a good group. Victor really hopes so. The cute boy deserves nice friends.“And say what? ‘Hi, I think you’re pretty, can I please take you ice skating?’” Victor says, rolling his eyes. It has to be just right when he talks to the cute boy. Victor can not screw it up. “I just want to know his name!”Or: a middle school AU where Victor falls head over heals for the new boy and is trying to stop blushing for two seconds just so he can ask for his name.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to this cuteness overload, here are some things that might be good to know:
> 
> 1\. A school catalog is like a yearbook, only it comes out at the start of the school year. Photos get taken the first week of school and then get sold to teachers and students. 
> 
> 2\. Victor is turing 15 and Yuuri 14. 
> 
> 3\. They are cute blushing messes and I adore them
> 
> Thank you to [SnarkyBreeze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnarkyBreeze/pseuds/SnarkyBreeze) and [takeitoffhemmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeitoffhemmo) for the beta! I'm so grateful.

“Who is that?” 

“Who?” 

Chris turns towards the group of boys standing by the lunch hall that Victor is looking at. The air is still warm from the summer heat, and even though school has started it still feels like summer. It’s nice.  Victor is in his new shirt and jeans, ones he bought for the new school year. His mom had said he looked ‘cool’ this morning, which was all kinds of embarrassing, but he really does look good so he didn’t change anyway. He and Chris are standing outside the main school building, waiting for the lunch hall to open so they can go in and eat before they have math in an hour. It’s the first day of the school year and they are the oldest now. It’s going to be super cool. 

There is a group of boys, four of them, standing closer to the doors to the lunch hall and one of them must be new because Victor is sure, completely, completely sure that he’s never seen  _ him _ before.

“That boy there, the cute one!” Victor points out, trying to nod towards the group so that Chris will see but without being obvious. He doesn’t want to embarrass himself on the first day, especially in front of that cute boy. Victor is one of the oldest now. It’s his grade that rules the school. He needs to keep up appearances. Chris glances over to the group, eyeing them closely. Victor is almost vibrating out of his shoes because Chris isn’t saying anything and that boy is the cutest thing Victor has ever seen. 

“You have to be more specific,” Chris eventually says. “Because at least two of those boys are really cute. And all of them are a little cute sooo.” 

Victor rolls his eyes. His best friends can be so blind sometimes. Like yeah, some of those other boys might be cute but can’t he see that the one in the blue glasses is the prettiest thing that's gone to this school? Probably ever. 

“The one with black hair and blue glasses, Chris! In the hoodie. He has to be new right? I haven’t seen him before, and I know I would have noticed him if he did.” 

“Yeah, he’s definitely new. I don’t recognise him. The others though, I think they’re in the eighth grade.” Chris looks over the group again, smirk forming on his face. “You wanna go say hi?” 

Victor really, really wants to go say ‘Hi’. He wants to get to know the boy. Know his name and what kind of music he likes and in which corridor his locker is in. If he’s going to participate in the ‘Bowling Roll’ later in the term or go to the dance afterwards. Ask if he likes hockey, too. 

Victor is really good at hockey. He’s been skating his entire life basically, since his dad really wanted him to be good at the sport the way he couldn't himself. His coach Yakov keeps saying things like  _ ‘You’ll go far kid, if you just work hard’ _ and patting him on the shoulder and Victor guesses that’s good. He does like hockey, and since it’s a sports school, he gets to play on school time. They don’t have Yakov as a coach there, obviously, but Joseph is cool too. He’s the ice skating coach for the school, for the hockey team and the figure skaters. 

Victor wonders if the boy skates. Maybe he could teach him if he can’t. Victor can feel his heart racing like crazy just by the thought of going over there.

“What am I going to say?” Victor asks. It has to be just right if he’s going to talk to him.

“I don’t know. Ask them what his name is, how he’s liking the new school. Which students’ choice they have? It’s not that hard,” Chris says. “What’s with you? You don’t get nervous like this?” 

Victor doesn’t really get nervous much, but the boy is really cute. He doesn’t want to screw this up. The doors to the lunch hall open, and the boy and his group head inside. Victor sighs. Maybe next time. 

 

“Chriiis, what am I going to do?” Victor whines as he looks across the wide corridor at the group of boys he’s been eyeing for weeks now. Or is it months? It feels like years. 

“Just go over there and talk to him? How hard can it be?” 

“Easy for you to say,” Victor grumbles, very carefully eyeing the table. The cute boy seems to have found a group to hang out with, the same he was with they day Victor saw him that first day. There is one that's tanned, dark hair and that seems really bouncy and fun, he’s always smiling too, and taking pictures with his phone. Victor wonders if he’s on social media. Maybe Victor should try to find him and see if he has any pictures of Victor’s pretty boy. There are two other boys in the group too. Both of them have brown hair and brown eyes, but one of them is taller and has more tanned skin and the other has freckles. They seem like a good group. Victor really hopes so. The cute boy deserves nice friends. Victor started hanging out with the wrong people when he started middle school and it was all kinds of drama. It was awful. Luckily, he found Chris in eighth grade and now they’re best friends. 

“And say what? ‘Hi, I think you’re pretty, can I please take you ice skating?’” Victor says, rolling his eyes. It has to be just right when he talks to the cute boy. Victor can not screw it up. “I just want to know his name!” 

“If you’re not going to talk to him, I guess you’ll have just have to wait for the ‘student catalog’.” 

 

The student catalog drops down in Victor’s mail box a week and a half later. In that time, Victor has learned that they boy does some sort of sport during the students’ choice hour. He knows this, because he may or may not have stalked outside of art, pets and music choices for the eighth graders just to see if the boy was there. He wasn’t. Victor wonders what sport he’s doing. He really hopes it’s not soccer because Victor doesn’t really get that, and he’s sort of scared that it’s handball because everyone gets really bad knees from that. Just last year, Mila’s girlfriend Sara got this weird ache in her knees and had to walk on crutches for a month. Not fun. But even if he does one of those things, it will be fine. Victor can come cheer him on anyway. Would cute boy come watch Victor’s games and cheer for him? That would be so cool.

He has also learned that the boy seems to enjoy tea over soda, because that’s what he buys at the kiosk in the Hangout Hall, and that he is even cuter when he blushes. Victor likes him more and more every day. 

The catalog comes and Victor all but rips the envelope open to get to it. He ignores the pictures of himself, he can worry about those later, and heads straight for the eighth graders. There he is. Yuuri Katsuki. Wow. Victor feels a blush spread on his cheeks as he looks at the boy’s soft smile and pink cheeks. He’s so pretty. Victor might be in love. Maybe Yuuri can trade him one of his photos for one of Victor’s own if it turned out good. He flips the pages, heading for the students’ choice, smiling widely as he finds it. Figure skating. Wow. Yeah, Victor is definitely in love now. 

 

“Chris, he can skate too. Figure skate. Like spins and jumps and stuff. I bet he looks so pretty.“ Victor sighs happily, leaning against his closed locker. Next to him, Chris is rummaging, trying to find the book for biology. Victor is always amazed by how fast Chris can turn his locker into a war zone in just a few weeks of school. 

“Who are you talking about?” Yuuko says, sliding up next to Victor. She’s in Victor’s class too. She’s really nice. Victor likes hanging out with her. She’s chewing on bubblegum. It looks good. Maybe Victor could get some later.

“Yuuri Katsuki in eight D. Victor has a crush,” Chris admits and Victor gasps, trying to slap Chris’ arm as punishment for the betrayal of outing him. But his best friend jumps away, clearly anticipating it. 

“Chris! You can’t just out me like that!”

“Oh, Yuuri? Yeah, he’s really cool!” Yuuko says, popping her chewing gum. Both Victor and Chris turn to her, mouths falling open. 

“Wait? You know him?” Victor asks in awe. 

“Yep, he figure skates too,” she says, smiling. Right, Yuuko figure skates. Victor had completely forgotten that, because she’s not at the same rink as them.

“Why have we never seen him at the rink then? Like, not in school but around hockey practice?” Chris questions. Yuuko gives him an unimpressed look. 

“Because he practices at my rink, because your rink gives all the good practice slots to the hockey teams.” 

Right, yeah, Victor has heard this before. It’s kind of unfair. He knows a lot of the figure skaters changed rinks when the new one was finished because the owners kept favouring the hockey teams. Victor has always benefited from it, but now he feels sad. Maybe he could have met Yuuri earlier if it wasn’t like that.  He shuffles his feet a little, frowning. He feels bad. Skaters should be able to skate even if they don’t play hockey. It’s good they built that new rink then, so everyone can do what they like. 

“So,“ Yuuko turns towards Victor, eyes gleaming. “You like Yuuri?”

Victor flushes bright read, looking down at his feet as he tries to will down his blush. He still nods though. No use trying to hide it now. Yuuko giggles and Victor sighs, looking up at the ceiling instead. 

“Have you talked to him?” She asks, voice softer now as she leans against the lockers next to Victor. 

“No. I really want to, I just-” he sighs deep, biting the inside of his cheeks. “I don’t want to embarrass myself.” 

“Yuuri is really cool, I don’t think he’ll think anything bad about you. He is kind of shy though. It takes a little while to get to know him. You know, just so you know.” Yuuko is so kind. Victor should buy her a cookie from the kiosk after biology. 

“Why is he here?” Chris asks. “Like why did he change schools? Was he bullied?”

Victors heart sinks. He can’t imagine anyone being mean to someone that looks as soft and sweet as Yuuri. Anyone who does that must be a monster. Yuuko frowns and Victor gets a sour feeling in his stomach. 

“I don’t think he was bullied, but I don’t think he had many friends either. Like I said, he’s shy. I think he changed school so he could be closer to his skating friends, and to skate on school time. The other school only has academic students choice you know.”

Right. The other school has a more academic profile while their school has a more active and sports focused profile. 

“But if he figure skates, why didn’t he start here from the beginning?” Victor asks. He doesn’t want to pry, but he wants to know everything about Yuuri. He likes him more and more with every day that passes. 

“Oh, his parents don’t really get figure skating, you know? It’s not they’re not supportive, they just thought he spent enough time at the rink as it was. They wanted him to focus on studies too, but last year Yuuri got drafted to compete at nationals! It was awesome. He’s really so good. And considering he was lonely, I think they agreed for him to change because of that. I think Phichit’s parents helped a little too.” 

“Phichit and he are really close huh?” Victor says, jealousy building in his stomach. He has seen that Yuuri and Phichit spend a lot of time together in school. Phichit is always taking pictures of the two of them, or the four of them. He’s been wondering if they’re more than friends, but he’s never seen them hold hands or anything like that. 

“Yeah, they’re best friends.” Yuuko hip bumps him lightly. “Just friends. I’m pretty sure Yuuri’s never had a boyfriend or girlfriend. Do you want me to scope it out, see if he likes you back?” 

That would be great, but Victor doesn’t want it to be obvious. A smile blooms on his face.

“I mean, you could ask if he likes anyone, the next time you see him?” Victor smiles. “Just don’t mention me though,” he hastily adds. Yuuko grins.

“Got it!”

 

Yuuko gets information the next day, which Victor is so grateful and excited about, but also really impressed. They’re in the Hangout Hall around a table and Chris, Takashi, Mila and Sara are discussing if they should be one team in the ‘Bowling Roll’ or invite Mickey and Georgi and split into two teams instead. Victor doesn’t really care. He just wants to know if Yuuri is coming. 

“So, we had practise yesterday so I had a chance to speak to Yuuri,” Yuuko repeats. She already told him that this morning, saying they could talk about it at first recess, which is now. So Victor just nods, urging her on.

“He flushed really red, and at first he didn’t want to tell me, but Phichit came over and then Yuuri admitted, with some encouragement from him, that there is someone at school that he thinks is really cute.” Yuuko smiles brightly and Victor feel his cheeks heating up, with hope and fear all the same. What if it's him? What if it’s someone else? His heart is beating so fast. Yuuko takes another bite of the cookie he bought her for her troubles trying to help with his love life, before continuing.

“He wouldn't tell me who, but Phichit told me that it was someone in the ninth grade, someone I knew. He wouldn't tell me anything more though. Best friend confidentiality he called it.” 

“Is he going to the ‘Bowling Roll?” Maybe Victor could talk to him there, where everyone is milling about talking to each other, or at the dance afterwards. Unfortunately, Yuuko shakes her head.    
“No, he has a regional skating competition that weekend. He’s leaving on Friday right after school so he can practice in the evening, and then the competition is on Saturday and Sunday.” 

“Both days?” Victor asks and Yuuko nods. “Wait! A competition? Does that mean I can go watch him?”

“Yeah, he has the short program the first day and then the free skate the second day. And you can totally go. Since the bowling thing is on Friday you could go either of the days. I’m going on Sunday, it’s like an hour by bus, but my sister agreed to drive me. You could come if you want!” 

“Yes! Yes, I totally want that!” Victor has never been to a skating competition live. He’s seen some on tv though. Maybe he should do some research, just so he can appreciate Yuuri’s skating to the fullest.

“Yuuko, could you teach me some things about it?” 

Yuuko breaks out in a wide smile.

 

Two weeks later, Victor finds himself in the stands at the regional competitions free skate. He and Yuuko had prepared thoroughly, going through different figure skating terms, scoring systems, other skaters that are competing. Victor knows so much now that he didn’t before. He even tried to do some of the things he had seen in the videos Yuuko had shown him after hockey practice one night and realised it was really hard. Victor is even more impressed by figure skaters now. 

Yuuko had said they had to bring something to throw on the ice after the competition and then said that Yuuri likes dogs. Victor had used some of the money he had earned from mowing the neighbor's lawn this summer and bought an adorable poodle plushie. Now they were waiting for the last group, Yuuri’s group, to come on the ice to get warmed up. The previous groups had been interesting to watch, Yuuko explaining the different jumps and rotations, spins and steps. It was all so interesting, seeing people move in a different way than Vctor did on the ice. He still had trouble seeing which jump was which and how many rotations they got, but clearly Yuuko is an expert. 

The announcer calls for the last group, and Victor holds his breath because there he is! Yuuri has a sports jacket over his costume, but on his legs Victor can spot the tight blue fabric hugging Yuuri’s tights. He looks different from when he’s in school. He has his glasses off and his hair pushed back. He looks kind of hot. There is something else that's different too, something in the way he holds himself and the shine in his eyes. Victor has spent a lot of time looking at Yuuri, and this is new. He looks determined, sure. Victor’s stomach does a somersault.

Yuuri circles the ring a few times, stepping into a beautiful step sequence. He does a few spins and two jumps — one double and a triple, Yuuko informs him. Victor watches, dazed, as he hugs the plushie tight to his chest. He hopes Yuuri will like it. The warm up ends and Yuuri steps off, a man with long dark hair coming up to him with his skate guards. There are two skaters before Yuuri, and Victor can tell that they are better than the previous group. Suddenly he’s nervous. He’s seen very little of Yuuri’s skating but he’s sure he’ll be amazing, but what if something happens? He really wants things to go well. 

Finally it’s Yuuri’s turn. Both Victor and Yuuko straighten, leaning forward. Yuuri zips his jacket off, revealing a beautiful costume. Its dark blue pants, a white turtle neck that has the same dark blue color as the pants, flames snaking up it. Small gleaming stones are hidden in the flames that sparkle as he moves. He looks beautiful. Amazing. Victor’s heart does a double beat. 

“Here we go!” Yuuko says. Victor only nods, eyes intent on Yuuri who skates to the center, arms crossed over his chest and eyes downcast. Yuuko had said Yuuri’s theme for this season was ‘Searching’. Victor really wants to be what Yuuri finds.

The music starts, and Yuuri begins to move. Victor clearly isn’t a figure skating expert; he hadn’t even seen an entire program until two weeks ago, but when Yuuri starts skating, Victor can tell he’s different. It might be his crush, but Yuuri is breathtaking, fluid on the ice where the others only seemed to move between the different required elements. He flows as he leads the music around the rink. A jump comes quite early and he lands it, Yuuko breathing a soft ‘Yes!’ as he does. It moves on, a spin, a breathtaking move which involves him arching his back really far back with legs spread, another jump and then into fluid steps. The arena is so quiet, like everyone is spellbound by the figure on the ice. Victor definitely is. Yuuri really is searching in the piece, looking for something, someone. Victor so desperately wants to be that something. Yuuri ends with a series of pretty spins, head tilted back and arms hanging down his sides as the program ends. Victor is on his feet in an instant, clapping and cheering loudly. Flowers rain down on the ice. Victor throws the dog plushie as well. It lands pretty far in on the ice, and when Yuuri opens his eyes and looks down, gaze bright and happy, he seems to spot it immediately. He reaches down, petting it as he waves and move towards the boards. Victor’s heart soars and Yuuko laughs as he squeals. When Yuuri sits down to get his scores, he looks at the plushie closer because Yuuri finds the note Victor wrote that’s wrapped around the dog’s neck. As Yuuri’s cheeks pinken, so do Victor’s. 

Yuuri wins, of course he wins. Victor can’t imagine it going any other way, because he was amazing. Victor and Yuuko are waiting for him in the lobby of the arena afterwards. Victor is a fidgeting mess and would rather run away right now, but Yuuko has insisted that she needs to say ‘Hi’ to Yuuri because she promised she would come. So Victor has to stand here and wait, butterflies in his stomach making him nauseous. The arena is mostly empty now, just a few people waiting for skaters milling around the lobby. Victor is starting to regret the note on the plushie big time. Sure, he wanted Yuuri to know it was from him if he liked it, but Yuuri might not even know who he is and might think he’s a freak. Who writes  _ ‘I think you’re cute’ _ on a note like that? Victor apparently, but still! Ugh, Yuuri is going to think he’s so weird and now he’ll never let Victor take him out on a date and he’ll never pet Makka and…

“Yuuri!” Yuuko calls and Victor stops dead in his pacing, looking up to a more familiar Yuuri. He’s in his glasses now, big brown eyes blinking behind them as he spots them waiting. His hair is still pushed back, and he’s in his training jacket and track pants, duffle bag over his shoulder and Victor has the sudden urge to reach out to grab it and carry it for Yuuri because that might be cute but also weird. They have never spoken, Victor has to remind himself. 

“Yuuko. Hi,” Yuuri says, coming closer. He’s blushing more and more with each step and Victor can feel heat rising in his own cheeks as well as he fidgets with the long hair from his ponytail. 

“You were amazing!” Yuuko exclaims, pulling Yuuri into a hug. Yuuri goes ridgid under the touch but smiles when Yuuko pulls back. 

“Thank you,” he says bashfully. “I was a little too wobbly in the salcow though, I have to get better consistency in it and-”

“Yuuri have you met Victor?” Yuuko cuts off and Yuuri’s cheeks flushes more, deep crimson covering his cheekbones. He’s so cute. 

“Hi,” Victor says, waving a little, awkwardly. Yuuri bites his lip, smiling a little and up close like this it’s even prettier than from afar. Victor should have known. 

“H-Hi,” Yuuri answers, looking down and oh, he’s still holding the plushie. Victor is probably just as blushing now. “T-thank you for coming and- and for this.” He wiggles the poodle a little and it’s so cute. Victor doesn’t know if he would survive to see Yuuri with an actual dog. It would be a cuteness overload. 

“I’m glad you like it. You’re skating was really, really pretty and I can’t imagine doing things like that on ice — and I’ve spent so much time on ice, but you know. I tackle people and do goals and sprints and stuff... But what you did was so pretty Yuuri, and I can’t believe you can jump like that; it’s so amazing and beautiful, which is fitting, because you are really beautiful too, and oh my god I’ll shut up now.“ Victor is so embarrassed. He was supposed to act cool so that Yuuri would want to hang out with him and now his big mouth just blabbered way too much. He’s going to go hide somewhere and die. 

“Thank you,” Yuuri says and Victor’s head snaps up to looks at him. Yuuri’s cheeks are still so pretty pink, but he doesn't looks disgusted. He’s smiling. “I could show you sometime? If you want?”

Victor’s heart is going to stop in his chest. Did Yuuri just ask if they could skate together? Wow. It’s like every dream Victor has had since the term started come true. His lips spread into a wide smile and he nods. Yuuri smiles too. 

“Yuuri!” 

There is a woman, maybe in her early twenties, with her hand on her hip, cigarette hanging from her lip, unlit. Her hair is dyed blonde and pushed back with a headband. She’s looking past Victor towards Yuuri.

“You coming? Mom’s gotten started on the katsudon so we don’t want to be late.” Yuuri’s eyes brighten and he smiles even wider and wow. What is katsudon and why does it make Yuuri smile like that? 

“Oh, I have to go but uhm, see you guys in school, okay?” Yuuri says as he waves, walking towards the girl. She nods towards Yuuko and then gives Victor a once over before smirking. Victor has no idea what that means.

On Monday, Yuuko grabs Victor by the arm at recess and stomps firmly into the Hangout Hall, Chris and Takashi in tow. Victor isn’t really aware of what’s happening until he’s shoved down into a bench, next to Yuuri. Yuuri looks as startled as Victor feels, but no one seems to pay them any mind. Yuuko immediately starts talking to the two brown haired boys — Leo and Guang Hong, as Victor has learned though the student catalog. Takashi introduces Chris to Phichit and then everyone is talking except Victor and Yuuri, who just sit there pressed together since the bench really isn't built to hold this many teenagers. Victor needs to fix it. This is his chance to talk to Yuuri. He just needs to figure out what to say. Something about dogs? About skating? 

“Thank you again, for the dog,” Yuuri says, so quietly that Victor almost misses it. 

“You’re welcome, Yuuri. I’m glad you like it.” 

They’re quiet again after that. Victor frowns. Why is this so hard? Yuuko said Yuuri is shy, so maybe Victor will have to be a little brave. 

“Do you have a dog?” he asks. Yuuri shakes his head, eyes downcast. 

“No, my parents think it’s too much work with how much time I spend ice skating. When I’m grown up I’m gonna get one though.” 

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Victor answers, frowning again. Silence falls between them and Victor searches for something to say. 

“Do you like dogs?” Yuuri asks and Victor lights up. 

“Yes! I have one, do you want to see?” Victor asks, reaching for his phone. Yuuri nods eagerly, leaning in a little closer as Victor opens the gallery on his phone, opening the special folder for Makkachin. Immediately Yuuri starts cooing, praising her for being a pretty and good girl just like she deserves. Victor’s heart is pounding so fast because Yuuri is right there and he likes Victor's dog and Victor knew, he knew Yuuri would be amazing since the first time he saw him. 

“Would you like to meet her sometime?” Victor asks, hopeful. If Yuuri turns him and his dog down he might die. Yuuri opens his mouth to answer but is cut off by Chris calling Victor’s name. 

“Victor, we’re gonna kick JJ’s ass on the ice on friday, right? Yuuko doesn’t believe me,” he says. Victor frowns. 

“Who’s JJ?” he asks. Victor knows they have a game on Friday, but he has no idea who this person is. If his recollection is correct, they’ve beaten this team several times before. The Maple Leaf is good, but not as good as Victor’s team.

“You know, the center for the Maple Leaf,” Chris tries but Victor has no memory of this person so he simply shrugs. 

“You have a game this week?” Yuuri asks, and Victor immediately turns to him, smiling.

“Yeah, Friday. It will probably be a good game too. We’ve been working really hard lately, I think we’re coming together well as a team,” Victor says, beaming. He wants to ask Yuuri if he could come, but that seems a little forward. Yuuri might not even like hockey. For all Victor knows, Yuuri might be one of those skaters that was basically driven away from the rink because of the owners favoring hockey before figure skating. 

“I’m sure you’ll be great.” Yuuri’s eyes are determined and his fingers brush gently against Victor’s before they pull back again, Yuuri crossing his hands in his lap. Victor can’t help himself, smiling wide as his heart flutters and a blush rising on his cheeks. 

 

They sit together at recess on Tuesday and Wednesday as well, all of them squeezed onto a bench, talking and laughing, playing cards. Yuuri is just as sweet as he is kind but is very competitive and fierce. Victor laughs so hard at his smug smile when he wins over Phichit in the last round of bubbles. On Thursday Victor feels bold, and when Yuuri lets his hand rest between them, Victor grabs it under the table. A blush spreads on Yuuri’s cheeks, bright and red but he doesn’t look down or pull his hand away. They hold hands all through recess. On Friday, Yuuri turns his hand up when Victor slides into the booth and they lace their fingers together. Victor is definitely in love. 

 

On Friday night he has a hockey game. He’s warming up on the ice, doing some practice shots against Mila in the goal when something catches his eye. He’s on his way back from a shot, rolling his shoulders and glancing up the bleachers when he sees him. In the middle of their claque, deep pink team shirt and a cute beanie on his head, stands Yuuri. He’s next to Phichit and Guang Hong, smiling brightly as he follows Victor on the ice. Victor has never seen either one of them at a game before. Does that mean Yuuri is here to cheer for him? Phichit seems to see Victor staring so he grabs Yuuri by the shoulders to turn him and  _ oh _ , oh thats Victor’s last name and number on the back of that shirt. Victor is going to melt into a mushy goo on the ice, because that’s the cutest thing ever. Yuuri turns back, blushing so prettily, and Victor has to wave, biting his lip just so not to smile like a fool, even if Yuuri probably can’t see it under the visor.

Victor plays a really good game —w hich is good, because he doesn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Yuuri. That would be horrible, especially now that they are making some sort of progress toward being friends. More than friends? Victor certainly doesn’t hold hands with his friends. Victor really, really wants to be boyfriends, but one step at a time. They win the game. Victor makes three goals, and each time he looks up to see Yuuri cheering for him. It’s adorable. He sort of wants to kiss him. 

After the game, Victor rushes to get ready just in case Yuuri is waiting. He showers and pulls on clean clothes and asks Chris three times if he smells okay. When he stumbles out the locker room to the lobby of the ice rink he immediately spots them. Yuuri is still in the huge hockey shirt, his back turned to Victor as he comes out. The shirt hangs down to his elbows and halfway down his thighs, but he looks so cute in it that Victor just wants to hug him. He takes a steadying breath and stalks over, duffle bag with all of his things left behind by the locker room door. Guang Hong sees him first and waves. Yuuri turns then, pink dusting his nose but smile on his face. When Victor comes close, he feels the overwhelming need to put his arms around Yuuri, so he does. Yuuri goes up on his toes, face hiding in Victor’s shoulder as Victor wraps his arms around his waist. Yuuri is so small in his arms, and Victor can hug him so tight. Yuuri smells good, like popcorn and citrus, and Victor might breathe in a little deeper just so he can smell him a little more. 

“You came,” Victor says as they step back from each other. Phichit and Guang Hong have disappeared to somewhere else. Victor isn’t complaining. 

“Yeah, I wanted to support you. You were really good,” Yuuri says, smile wide, brown eyes glittering under the fluorescent lights in the lobby. Yuuri has the prettiest eyes. 

“I was just good because you were cheering on me.” Victor is trying to be smooth. Yuuri blushes but is still smiling which is perfect. “You think I could keep up with you on the ice if we go skating together?”

Yuuri nods, smile big and bright but still blushing. Yuuri’s lips are really pink and look soft. Victor wonders how it would feel to kiss them. Victor has never kissed anyone besides silly elementary school games, and that doesn’t count. He really wants to kiss Yuuri though. 

“Do you have any plans this weekend?” Yuuri asks, bouncing a little on his heels. Victor shakes his head. His parents had talked about going to visit some relatives, but Victor hasn’t agreed to anything — he could skip. Yuuri bites his lip and looks down at the floor.

“I-I usually go skating in the weekends, so I was planning on going tomorrow morning, at like nine? If you want to come to the Ice Castle, you can. You know. So we could skate together?” 

Victor’s heart soars. He wants that more than anything. 

“It’s a date,” he agrees with a big smile. 

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think in the comment section or on other platforms like:  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/linisen) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mjaoue)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri is regretting all his life decisions as he waits to see if Victor will turn up for their skating date at the Ice Castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by the lovely [takeitoffhemmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeitoffhemmo)
> 
> Hi!  
> Here's the continuation of this blushing mess. Like you can see, the chapter count have been updated to 5 instead of a one shot and will be updated biweekly, next update coming Thursday August 8th.   
> I'm so happy with the response I got on this and I'm so excited to continue it. Like explained in the previous chapter, this will be based on the Swedish school system, rules and laws. If you have any questions please asks! I hope you enjoy and lets see what Yuuri makes of this situation!

Yuuri’s fidgeting, trying not to panic as he looks around the lobby of the Ice Castle. It’s a nice rink, well kept and clean, and it’s new, much newer than the other rink, but what if Victor doesn’t like it? What if he thinks it’s dumb? This is Yuuri’s place, and he would be really, really sad if Victor said something bad about it. He knows it’s not perfect, but still! This is like Yuuri’s second home, first home sometimes, and Yuuri really likes Victor, so he hopes he’ll like it too. 

Yuuri still can’t believe he asked Victor to come here. Yuuri who is usually so shy had felt so bold under Victor’s gaze. Or maybe he was just unable to function properly around Victor, with his pretty eyes and beautiful face and cute compliments. Victor says so many nice things, and Yuuri always blushes so bad, he must look like a tomato all the time these days. Ugh, so embarrassing. Yuuri has no idea why Victor wants to hang out with him, or why he holds Yuuri’s hand at recess under the table or why he came to his competition and gave him the most adorable plush dog Yuuri have ever seen. Victor is so pretty, and popular. What does he want with Yuuri?

Yuuri knew who Victor was before he changed schools. Yuuko talked about him, since they are classmates, and showed Yuuri pictures in the school catalog. Victor had been the prettiest boy Yuuri had ever seen, and he’d been a little scared to go to the same school as him when he changed, because he was afraid everyone would see how big of a crush he has, but when he came to Greenville High School he realised almost everybody has a crush on Victor. He sees how people throw longing glances as he passes, stops to talk to him or compliment him. It’s not strange, Victor is even prettier in person than he is in photos, and Yuuri has tried to not stare too much, scared to get caught. 

Then, Yuuko started asking strange questions about if Yuuri likes anyone or if he wants a boyfriend. Yuuri had tried to change the subject, eventually telling her that he didn’t want to tell her when she didn’t stop. He told Phichit however, because he’s Yuuri’s best friend, and he needed to tell someone. He felt like he might burst otherwise with how filled with butterflies he sometimes gets when Victor walks pass. They don’t have lockers in the same corridor, and Yuuri is partly sad, and part relieved that they don’t. If they would, he could look at Victor more often, but Victor might catch him, and that would be so embarrassing. 

Then, Victor came to Yuuri’s competition. He’s so happy he didn’t know beforehand, because he would definitely have fallen on his ass if he did. Yuuri almost had a heart attack when he picked up the plushie with the cutest note he had ever seen, from  _ Victor _ . Yuuri still can’t believe it. 

Then Victor said some super nice things about Yuuri, like nicer than Yuuri had ever even imagined Victor could say, and it had been so overwhelming that Yuuri was surprised he didn’t melt into a puddle right then and there. Somehow, he had even asked Victor if they could skate together. Which was all kinds of crazy. Victor didn’t have a chance to answer, because Mari had come to get Yuuri then. Maybe it had been for the best, because what if Victor had said no? Yuuri would have died. 

On Monday, Yuuko came over with all of her friends, Victor included, and just sat down in their booth in the Hangout Hall at recess. Yuuri had found himself blushing as Victor was pressed tight against his side, having no idea what to say. It felt like he was on fire, face hot and flushed and probably blotchy. God. So embarrassing. But Victor seemed to like talking to Yuuri, sitting down next to him every day, talking and showing Yuuri pictures of his dog, the prettiest dog Yuuri’s ever seen, and Yuuri’s crush deepened so fast it wasn't even funny. Phichit teased him so much during english class they almost got kicked out. 

On Thursday, Victor grabbed his hand and it felt just as thrilling as winning a competition, joy and nerves exploding in Yuuri’s stomach. Victor’s hand was warm and soft, and Yuuri took a chance on Friday, turning his hands up as an invitation for Victor to lace their fingers together, and he did. Yuuri’s never held hands with anyone except his mom and sister before, but holding hands with Victor feels right. He really, really likes it.

Going to the hockey game had been nerve wracking for a lot of reasons. What’s Victor going to think about Yuuri coming, without even telling him? Would he be mad? But Victor did show up unannounced at Yuuri’s competition, but since they didn’t know each other then, maybe it’s different. Phichit insisted on getting Yuuri a team shirt and Yuuri almost felt like he was drowning in it, but it was the only size that had Victor’s last name on the back so it would have to do. Victor seemed happy to see him though, and Yuuri cheered for every goal Victor made, getting caught up in the energy of the arena. Vicor was so powerful on the ice, breathtaking in the way he rushed for the puck and how he tricked the other players with his dribbles. Yuuri’s never been one for sports, but if everyone played like Victor he might be. 

Victor hugged him after the game, and Yuuri felt like he was going to float away with how good it felt. He might have hugged a little longer and a little tighter than he should have, but how was he supposed to hold back when Victor’s arms felt so right around his waist? The hug had made him dizzy leading him to ask Victor here today, which is why Yuuri is pacing back and forth in the lobby, looking up at the clock every ten seconds. It’s one minute to nine now.  

Victor’s not going to come. He probably has better things to do on a Saturday than to skate with Yuuri. People must ask him to do things all the time and Yuuri is just being silly thinking that Victor agreeing and calling it a date would mean something. He should just head to the rink so he can get on the ice and forget all about…

“Yuuri!” 

Yuuri turns towards the sound, watching Victor rush through the doors with a big smile. He’s in a deep blue jacket that makes his eyes look impossibly bluer and Yuuri swallows harshly, fidgeting a little in his place before waving, butterflies erupting in his stomach as the uncomfortable nerves and the feeling of rejection slowly bleeds out of him. Victor came. He actually came! To skate! With Yuuri! 

“Hi,” Yuuri says when Victor reaches him, panting harshly as he stops just in front of Yuuri with a wide smile. He’s so pretty Yuuri feels he’s going to melt by just looking at him. 

“Hi!” Victor says, adjusting the strap of his large duffle bag on his shoulder. “Sorry if I’m late. My parents dropped me off and my dad is so slow. Did you wait long?” 

Yuuri shakes his head, feeling a blush start to seep into his cheeks as he takes Victor in. He’s still not used to being this close to the other boy. Victor’s hair is in a bun, which Yuuri’s never seen before. In school it’s always in a ponytail or down. This is different, but very pretty. Yuuri’s heart skips several beats and he has to look away because, wow. 

“Uhm, no. No, I just, I wasn’t sure if you were going to come but I didn’t want you to have to wait if you got here early,” Yuuri says, licking his lips nervously and glances back at Victor who’s frowning. 

“Why wouldn't I come? You mean like if I got sick?” Victor asks, something passing in his eyes as a smile spreads across his face, reaching for something in his pants pocket. “I don’t have your number!” he exclaims, pulling out his phone, wiggling it a little with a soft smile. 

“Oh, right,” Yuuri says, pulling out his own phone from his bag. “Did you want to cancel but couldn't?” 

“No!” Victor protests, cheeks starting to go pink. Huh, maybe it’s the cold. “I’m really looking forward to skating with you, Yuuri.” 

“Oh, good,” Yuuri says, handing over his phone with the contacts open so Victor can type his in his number. “I’ve been too.”

Yuuri might have tossed and turned like a crazy person in bed half the night, trying to think of good things to talk about and what music to play through the speakers at the rink. No one is usually at the rink this early in the weekends, and Yuuri knows they’ll be alone for at least a few hours. He hopes Victor won’t hate his music taste or something like that, or that he’ll realise Yuuri isn’t really something special. Victor called this a date, and Yuuri’s never been on one. He has no idea what to expect, or how to act, but he desperately wants it to go well. He almost knocked on Mari’s door last night to ask her what one is supposed to do on a date but he knew she would have teased him about it for the rest of his life, so he rushed to his room instead to hide under the covers.

“There,” Victor says, holding up his phone with Yuuri’s number in it, wide smile on his face. “Now we can text.” 

“Cool,” Yuuri says as he gets handed his phone back, looking back towards the doors leading to the rink. “Ready to skate? I’m sort of already changed. I just need to put on my skates.” 

Victor nods, holding up his bag a little, clearly containing a lot less than it did yesterday. Victor probably didn’t bring his paddings and protections. “Me too, all ready to go.”  

Yuuri nods and starts walking towards the door, greeting Amanda, the girl who works reception in the weekends, before pushing into the rink. The boys fall into easy conversation about their mornings, Yuuri not mentioning the minor freakouts he had all through it about spending time alone with Victor. They walk down the stands to the lowered rink, sitting down on the wooden bench closest to the opening in the barrier to lace up. Victor has his hockey skates while Yuuri has his usual figure skating skates, black with silver blades, blue skate guards. Yuuri finishes first, rising to walk over to the rink. 

He pulls the skate guards off, placing them on the barrier, and pushes onto the ice. Yuuri always loves this feeling, the cold hitting his face, the calm serenity that fills his body at those first strokes, before it becomes training and challenge and pushing himself until his feet bleed. Just him, the ice and movement. The rink is quiet except for his blades caressing the ice, and Yuuri takes a lap, turning to skate backwards half way through it. He stops in the middle of the rink, looking over at the hole in the barrier where Victor’s standing, watching. When Yuuri stops the older boy pushes onto the ice, slow strokes as he approaches. Victor is so graceful, on the ice and off, nothing like what Yuuri associates with hockey players. He wonders if Victor would have been a good figure skater. Probably amazing. 

“You’re so pretty when you skate, Yuuri,” Victor says as he skates a lap around him, eyes never leaving Yuuri. “You’re pretty always but on the ice you’re completely mesmerizing.”

“I wasn’t even doing anything,” Yuuri protests, feeling heat rise to his cheeks again. Victor shakes his head, coming to stop in front of Yuuri.

“It was super pretty anyway,” Victor says and Yuuri feels like his heart is beating so hard it must show through his shirt. Victor looks down and reaches a hand out, fingers in black gloves. Yuuri tentatively reaches forward too, lacing his fingers with Victor’s. A huge smile spreads on Victor’s lips as he starts skating backwards, tugging Yuuri along. They skate circles around the rink, sometimes separating, Victor encouraging Yuuri to do the occasional spin or jump, applauding and cheering when he does, showering him with compliments as he reaches for Yuuri’s hand again. At one point Victor starts chasing Yuuri and with a startled yelp they both race across the ice. Victor definitely has more explosive speed than Yuuri and he catches him instantly, hands around Yuuri’s waist as he captures him. 

“Told you I’d catch you,” Victor says and his face is so pretty and his silver lashes so long. His hand fits perfectly with Yuuri’s as Victor’s hands drops from his waist to lace their fingers together. Yuuri’s heart is beating so fast and Victor is so close. He wonders what Victor would do if Yuuri kissed him. Would Victor like it? Would he be mad? 

“Hello lovebirds!” Phichit calls and Yuuri startles, almost slipping a little as his head snaps to the opening in the barrier, seeing Phichit’s wide grin. Yuuri blushes instantly, wondering if he should pull his hand out of Victor’s. Victor probably doesn’t want anyone knowing about this, right? It’s not like they’re together or anything and even though Yuuri would like Victor to be his boyfriend, they haven’t talked about it at all. He looks down at their joined hands, heart clenching at the thought of letting go. 

“Hi Phichit!” Victor greets, tightening his grip on Yuuri’s hand before starting to pull him towards the barrier opening and the other boy, showing no signs of wanting to let go. Yuuri feels his heart flutter with joy, blush definitely deepening as he gives a pointed look at his best friend who’s grinning far too widely. Yuuri hopes, fruitlessly he knows, that Phichit won’t tease them. He’s terrified to scare Victor away, because this morning has been one of the most fun Yuuri’s had in a long time. He really, really likes Victor. Victor is kind, and so thoughtful, and funny. He’s made Yuuri laugh about ten times already. He’s also so pretty and likes dogs and skating and seems to enjoy spending time with Yuuri even though Yuuri is nothing special. Phichit can not screw this up for him by being a mean tease. 

“Been here long?” Phichit asks, pulling off his bright green skate guards and heading out on the ice. 

“Not that long,” Yuuri says, before looking over at the clock, eyes widening as he sees they’ve been out on the ice for almost three hours. It’s almost twelve. “Woah.” Victor looks over too, and Yuuri can see his jaw drop, eyes going wide. Oh no. 

“I’m sorry!” Yuuri says hasty. “I didn’t realise, I haven’t kept you from anything, right?” 

Victor turns to him, shocked expression turning to a soft smile as he shakes his head. 

“No, I didn’t realise either. Time just flew by,” he gives Yuuri’s hand a tight squeeze before looking back up at the clock again. He bites the inside of his cheek for a moment, staying quiet. Then a soft sigh leaves his lips and he turns back to Yuuri, eyebrows slightly furrowed. 

“I should probably go though,” he says, and Yuuri’s stomach drops. 

“Oh,” Yuuri answers, mind scrambling to come up with anything smarter than that, but coming up short. He’s had such a good time with Victor. He doesn’t want it to end, but he can’t keep Victor here. Yuuri’s kept him here so long already. 

“Not that I want to go!” Victor says, eyes wide in panic, glancing back at the clock before he looks back at Yuuri, squeezing his hand again. “It’s just… I have to walk Makka.” 

Oh. Oh, of course. 

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Yuuri says following as Victor moves towards the exit, the uncomfortable feeling still pooling in his gut. Things feel so different now from how it felt just moments ago, and Yuuri has no idea how to fix it. They reach the barrier, and Victor has to let go of Yuuri’s hand to grab the edge of it, putting on his guards as he steps off. He turns and frowns, licking his lips as he twists his mouth together. Yuuri’s hand feels cold without Victor’s so he laces his own fingers together instead. It’s not the same. 

“I had a great time, Yuuri,” Victor says. “Text me later?” 

Oh. A flutter of butterflies do a loop in Yuuri’s stomach and he nods, hope rising slightly. 

“Okay.” 

Victor leans forward to wrap his arms around Yuuri’s shoulders, pulling him into a hug. Victor smells like ice and deodorant and Yuuri squeezes his waist tight, once, before pulling back, heart a little lighter, the sinking feeling in his stomach not as heavy with the prospect of talking to Victor later. 

“Okay, bye,” Victor says with one last wave and Yuuri waves back, skating backwards slightly, so Victor can’t see the blush forming on Yuuri’s cheeks.

“Bye.”

Yuuri turns then, almost skating straight into Phichit who’s standing in the middle of the ice with the biggest grin in the world on his face. Yuuri freezes, eyes darting to where Victor is unlacing his skates on the bench, back to Phichit. 

“Not now,” he wheezes between his teeth, skating around Phichit. He considers skating away so Phichit can’t start interrogating him but there’s a risk that his friend will start shouting questions towards him instead and that is way worse. Victor will definitely hear that. Phichit starts bouncing up and down, and Yuuri glances back again, waving one last time at Victor who waves back, walking up the stands towards the door. The boys on the ice follow him with their eyes as he walks, exiting through the glass doors. As soon as they fall shut Phichit pounces on Yuuri, almost making them both fall over as he grabs Yuuri’s arm tight, shaking him back and forth. 

“YUURI! I can’t believe you went on a date! I’m so proud! My smol son is growing up!” Phichit babbles, pretending to wipe non existing tears from his eyes. Yuuri sighs, wringing his arm out of Phichit’s grip and starting to skate backwards. 

“We’re the same age,” he protests but Phichit just waves his hand dismissively, following. 

“Details. Yuuri! A date! How was it?” Phichit asks excitedly and Yuuri can’t contain the smile that spreads on his lips as he thinks about Victor’s hand in his and his laugh and his funny stories and all the compliments he gave Yuuri. 

“It was good,” he admits, and Phichit rolls his eyes, picking up speed as he continues to follow Yuuri, who continues to skate backwards, also moving faster. 

“Details, Yuuri. I need details!” 

 

Yuuri sends a text to Victor that night, saying he enjoyed skating with him and asking how things went with Makkachin. He rewrites the message four times before he sends it. Everything sounds stupid and wrong, but Victor asked him to text and it feels very rude to not send anything. Yuuri wants to talk to Victor, but he doesn’t know how. He’s not used to all these new feelings and even if the anxiety in his chest is nothing new, this worry that Victor will reject him if he says the wrong thing is.  

Eventually he sends a message that looks a lot like the first one he wrote, and as soon as he’s sent it he hates everything about it. His heart thumps violently in his chest and he throws the phone onto his bed so he doesn’t have to look at it, scared for an answer, terrified to get none at all. 

A text comes almost instantly, Yuuri’s phone vibrating against the cover and he flies off the desk chair, grabbing the phone as he flops back first onto the bed, phone clutched in his hand. 

 

**Victor Nikiforov**

_ 18.36 _

I had a great time too! I hope we can do it again sometime? Makka was happy to see me and we went to the park which was nice. I told her all about you and now she insists on meeting you. Will you, Yuuri? She’s so cute I don’t think I can deny her. Did you stay long at the rink? 

 

Yuuri smiles, heartbeat rushing in his chest, a sizzling joyous feeling spreading all through his body as he bites his lower lip to contain his smile. Victor had a good time. Wants to do it again. Wants Yuuri to meet his dog. It’s more than Yuuri could ever have hoped for. He takes a deep breath, and then another. Trying to calm down, before he rolls to the side and starts answering. 

They text all through the rest of the weekend, talking about anything and everything. Yuuri finds himself carrying his phone with him much more than before, always having it on him or next to him as he helps at his parents' bed and breakfast, folding towels and sheets.  A text comes as they sit down to eat, and Yuuri quickly picks up his phone to answer, smiling at the picture of Makkachin sleeping on Victor’s bed. He texts back a picture of his food, earning a ‘wow that looks delicious’ from Victor.  

“Who are you texting?” 

Yuuri looks up, locking eyes with his sister on the other side of the table. He quickly pockets his phone, fingers twitching as he feels another text come, trying to fight the impulse to reach down at see what Victor wrote.    
“No one,” Yuuri answers, looking down at the food as he starts eating, hoping she’ll drop it. 

“No one, huh? Is that why you’ve been smiling like a fool every time you’ve looked at your phone the entire day?” she teases and Yuuri can feel heat rise on his cheeks, rubbing at them to try to will it down. Stupid blush. Mari notices, of course, and smirks. Yuuri glares back. 

“Is it a boyfriend?” she asks and Yuuri’s heart does a flip in his chest at the thought of Victor being his boyfriend. His fingers starts tingling and he has to bite down hard on a piece of broccoli to fight the urge to smile.    
“No! It’s just a friend from school,” Yuuri protests but Mari is still wearing that stupid smirk. 

“A friend? Riiight,” she says with a laugh and Yuuri’s about to throw some rice at her for being so dumb when his mother speaks up. 

“Mari, don’t tease Yuuri. You hated when we asked about your friends when you were his age too,” his mother says and Yuuri sticks out his tongue at his sister who simply rolls her eyes, starting to eat her food. 

“Just tell them that if they ever do anything to hurt you, your sister is going to kill them,” she says before she sips her water and Yuuri’s eyes grow wide, jaw dropping. 

“I can’t say that! That’s so embarrassing,” Yuuri protests but Mari laughs, and so does his parents, which is so mean! 

“Aw, Yuuri. It’s normal to have crushes in your age. Mari’s just looking out for you,” his father says and Yuuri clenches his jaws together tight. He focuses on his food, hoping they’ll drop it and leave him alone. “I remember this girl in my class in junior high that I found really pretty. I never talked to her though, so if you’re texting this person you like that’s great progress.” 

“Can we just not talk about this, please?” Yuuri says, staring down into his bowl of food. His mother pats him on the cheek with a soft chuckle, like he’s five or something, and Yuuri has to fight the urge to move away hard.

“Okay dear, we will,” she agrees and Yuuri lets out a deep sigh. Fingers still twitching a little at the thought of Victor’s text waiting for him in his phone. 

 

They text all Monday morning too, even though Yuuri is really tired and has to bike to school and can’t answer his phone when he does. He parks his bike at the cycle racks outside of his corridor, and heads into his locker to drop off his bag and grab his books. He has math first period and then the class has P.E, which the gym teacher said they would be having with another class this week, since they’re practicing couple’s dancing. Yuuri doesn’t know which other class it will be but he hopes it’s not one of the ones that have those jocks who sometimes shoves him and his friends into lockers, because he refuses to dance with any of them. Yuuri’s good at couple’s dancing. Minako has insisted on giving him a wide dance training and even if ballet is where he’s most comfortable, he does alright with waltz and foxtrot and a couple of other styles. Hopefully he’ll have a nice partner. 

Math is like it always is. The teacher is trying their best but the class is unfocused, shouting and throwing things. The teacher is trying to get them to calm down but it mostly leads to bickering and several students being sent out. When the class is over an hour and twenty minutes later, all they’ve done is gone though the homework. 

“Excited for dance?” Phichit asks as they step out of the classroom, the teacher holding some of the rowdier students back to try to talk some sense into them, just like the last math class they had. 

“Yeah,” Yuuri agrees turning through the Hangout Hall towards their corridor. “I hope it’s a nice class we’re having it with, not like 9A.” 

“Yeah, but I think they have P.E on like Wednesdays so I don’t think it’s them,”  Phichit comments as he unlocks his locker, placing the math books inside. “At least we don’t have to change today.” 

Yuuri nods as he places his books into his locker as well, pulling his phone from his locker to see if Victor’s texted him. There’s a long text about how boring geography is and Yuuri smiles down at his phone, writing a short answer about how math isn’t much better, before placing the phone back into his locker. When he looks up, Phichit has a knowing smile on his face.

“Victor texting?” 

Yuuri feels the blush rush to his cheeks, biting his lip to contain his smile as he nods, closing the locker and turning down the hall to start walking to the gym. Phichit is on his heel, bouncing slightly as he keeps looking at Yuuri. 

“What did he saaay?” Phichit says, just as Leo and Guang Hong fall into step with them, Leo’s arm resting over Guang Hong’s shoulders. 

“What did who say?” Guang Hong asks and Phichit’s grin only widens, as they cross the Hangout Hall, passing other students on their way to classes. 

“No one,” Yuuri protests, giving Phichit a stern look, which of course does nothing to deter his friend. 

“Victor’s texting Yuuri, but Yuuri won’t say what about,” Phichit says as they continue down the hallway connecting all the lecture hall’s hallways. “They had a date on Saturday.” 

“What?” Leo and Guang Hong say at the same time and Yuuri feels his face heat up even more, looking away. 

“Yep,” Phichit continues, popping the p as they step out of the back entrance to the school, heading for the building that contains the cafeteria and gym. “I found them holding hands while ice skating at the Ice Castle.” 

“Phichit!” Yuuri exclaims. It’s not that he wants to hide things from Leo and Guang Hong, but he’s not sure Victor wants everyone to know. It’s not like they’ve talked about what this is or anything, and Yuuri has no experience in how to act in situations like this. It’s very frustrating. Phichit just grins wider, skipping a little as they approach the door to the gym. 

“Did you have a good time?” Guang Hong asks and Yuuri nods, smiling a little, which makes Guang Hong smile back. “That’s great then. I’m sure Victor had a great time too.” 

“I hope so,” Yuuri sighs. “We’ve been texting ever since Saturday night. I just don’t know how to act now? Like what do I do if I see him? And what are we now?” 

“Did you talk about it?” Leo asks, catching the door as Phichit walks into the locker rooms, arm slipping from Guang Hong’s shoulder so they can make it through the door. “Like did he say he wanted to hang out again?” 

“Yeah, he did say that,” Yuuri agrees as they cross the locker room, not needing to stop since the gym teacher said last time they didn’t need to change for his class. 

“Then you should ask him out again!” Phichit exclaims and Yuuri is about to protest that he did ask Victor out last time, but they step out to the gym floor and his heart does a flip in his chest as he spots Victor in the middle of it. Oh. It must be Victor’s class they’re going to be dancing with. 

Butterflies erupts in his stomach as he takes the other boy in. Victor’s in dark skinny jeans and a grey soft looking sweater. Yuuri has the very urgent need to hug him, to snuggle into that sweater and breath Victor in, which feels so crazy. Victor has his hair down, and it sways as he talks, waving his arms as he tells Yuuko something. He’s so pretty. Yuuri has no idea why he wants to text Yuuri, or date him for that matter. 

Victor seems to sense that someone is shamelessly staring and turns, catching Yuuri’s eyes. Yuuri panics, feels blood rush to his cheeks because he just got caught staring at Victor! He’s about to turn around and maybe excuse himself to the bathroom and hide in there until the lesson is done, but Victor breaks into the prettiest smile Yuuri’s ever seen, mouth almost shaping like a heart and Yuuri’s heart beats so violently in his chest every one in there must hear it. 

Victor breaks away from Yuuko, steps quick and in no time at all he’s in front of Yuuri, wrapping his arms around his shoulders to pull him into a hug. Yuuri feels like he’s in a daze as his arms wrap around Victor’s waist. The entire world seems to melt away around them as Yuuri’s nose presses into Victor’s clavicle. The sweater is just as soft as it looks, and Yuuri closes his eyes for a moment, breathing in Victor’s scent of some sort of cologne and fabric softener. He smells so good. Wow.  

“Hi,” Victor says, and Yuuri tightens the grip his hands has taken of Victor’s shirt for a second, before pulling back slightly so his voice doesn’t get muffled by the shirt. 

“Hi,” he answers, taking one step back so they detangle from each other, trying to ignore all the looks he feels they’re getting. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.” 

“Yeah, we’re doing dance. You too? Is it your class we’re dancing with?” Victor asks, biting his lower lip and Yuuri has to avert his eyes quickly because he can absolutely not look at Victor’s lips because that just leads to a lot of thoughts about kissing and he can not think about that right now. Instead, he looks down at their shoes, trying to calm his heart down. 

“Yeah, we have dance now too,” he answers, seeing Victor’s feet bounce a little and he glances up, seeing Victor smile wide. 

“That’s great! I get to spend an entire hour in the same class as you! This Monday is much better than I had hoped.” 

Yuuri blushes again, and he’s very grateful for the teacher calling them over to explain the plan for the class so he can calm himself down a bit. They are to pair up, and then the teachers will show the basic steps for waltz, and then the students will get to practice them. Next, they will move over to foxtrot, and the students will change partner for that. Lastly, they will do bug and they will switch partners for that too. As Yuuri turns, someone grabs his hand and he turns, looking up at Victor’s face. 

“Uhm,” Victor says, and that very cute pink is dusting his cheeks again and he’s so, so pretty. “Will you dance with me?” Yuuri’s entire body tingles as he nods, and Victor guides him to the other side of the gym floor, hand in hand. Yuuri prays that he doesn’t break into a sweat. 

The teachers help everyone pair up, and then they start showing the steps. Yuuri follows, although he already knows them. One, two, three, one, two, three. Victor seems to be catching on alright too, but when they get told to dance with their partner he tightens up, his hand on Yuuri’s waist tensing along with his grip on Yuuri’s hand.

“Relax,” Yuuri says, tightening his frame. The music starts and Yuuri tries to guide Victor, even though he’s not in the leading position, Victor’s cheeks becoming even pinker.

“You’re a really good dancer, Yuuri,” Victor says, voice low, and Yuuri feels a tingle through his entire body at the praise. 

“Well I-I dance too, besides from skating.” 

“What?” Victor asks, eyes wide. “What kind of dance?”

“Mostly ballet, sometimes other styles. My dance teacher says I have to know a lot of styles to become the best at figure skating, because then I can incorporate it.”

“Wow, that’s really impressive, Yuuri. How often do you dance?” Victor asks. His steps are surer now, and Yuuri can follow him through the basic steps. It’s nothing special, but it’s nice to hold hands with Victor and to be close to him like this, to be able to talk. 

“After school on Mondays and Thursdays, before on Wednesdays.” 

“That’s so much! And that’s outside of skating. You’re so dedicated, Yuuri,” Victor praises and Yuuri shakes his head. 

“No, I’m just not naturally graceful or anything like that, so I have to work hard if I’m going to be good at skating,” Yuuri protests. 

“I think you’re very graceful, Yuuri. Graceful and beautiful,” Victor argues, soft smile on his face. Yuuri’s stomach flips, and he has to look down at their feet again. He should protest, because he doesn’t want to give Victor the wrong impression, but instead he simply smiles, letting out a soft “Thank you.”

They dance together through the entire class. The teachers seem so have their hands full with making all the students figure out the steps and don’t pay them any mind. Some of the partners that are switching give them angry glances, trying to switch Yuuri out since they want to dance with Victor but the older boy refuses, saying he only wants to dance with Yuuri. It warms Yuuri’s entire body, and the urge to lean up and kiss Victor’s cheek is almost overwhelming. 

The foxtrot is harder, and they trip over each other’s feet a few times, giggling as they do. When they change to bug it becomes evident that Victor knows it, twisting and spinning Yuuri until they are both laughing and dancing faster and faster. It's so much fun dancing with Victor, Yuuri never wants it to end. It does of course. An hour goes by fast and soon the teachers call out for them that the class is over, and that they should start making their way back to the school. Yuuri lets go of Victor reluctantly, but they walk towards the school together, their friends following them into the Hangout Hall. They sit down at their regular booth, Takeshi pulling out a deck of cards. They play a few games before it’s time to separate, but just as Yuuri is about to turn for his locker, Victor’s hand on his wrist stops him. 

“You get off at 15.20, right?” he asks, dropping Yuuri’s wrist. His cheeks are deep pink, almost if he’s blushing. Yuuri’s heart starts rushing in his chest again.

“Y-yeah,” he answers, not sure if he should ask something back.

“Can I meet you by your bike? I’m also off then and if I’m out later than you, will you wait?” Victor asks, his voice soft. Yuuri nods, swallowing a little. What could Victor want that he can’t talk about with Yuuri here?

“Okay, uhm. See you then?”

“Yeah, see you then,” Victor agrees, before taking a step backwards, waving once before turning, hurrying to catch up to Chris, Yuuko and Takeshi who’s on their way towards their next class.

 

Yuuri can’t concentrate for the rest of the day. His mind keeps spinning like crazy. Did Yuuri do something wrong? Was it something he said during the dance? Did Yuuri take the lead too much? Has Victor realised that people were looking at them and is embarrassed by being seen with Yuuri? That must be it. Victor must have realised how much out of Yuuri’s league he is, and that he wants them to be just friends. Yuuri’s heart clenches uncomfortably just by the thought of it. 

He just pokes around in the school lunch that’s some sort of stew, and during history he can barely think about anything other than the clock slowly making its way towards the end of the day when Victor will end this after just one date. God, Yuuri is so pathetic he couldn't even keep Victor’s interest for more than a day! He drags his feet behind him, and when he finally makes his way out to the bikes it’s almost only his left, all of the students having already left. Victor is resting against it, looking down at his phone as he chews on the side of his thumb. Yuuri has to resist the urge to cry because Victor is so beautiful and now Yuuri will have to go back to pinning from a distance, but it’s going to be so much worse because now he knows Victor and knows how it feels to be close to him and hold his hands and hug him. Victor’s put on a green coat, hair up in a ponytail now. The October air is slightly chilly and Yuuri pulls down his beany a little more over his ears, taking a breath to try to calm himself down. He can’t let Victor see him cry. They can never be friends after this if Yuuri lets himself cry in front of Victor.

Victor spots him and a nervous smile breaks out on his face as he waves. No turning back now. Yuuri will just have to get through this, and then go home and cry. He has a dance class later so he has something to occupy his mind with.  Minako will push him as much as she always does and things will be fine, even though Victor doesn’t like him. He takes a deep breath as he approaches, heart aching already. Things will definitely not be fine. 

“Hi. I was just about to call you,” Victor says, waving his phone a little before putting it in his pocket. “Did you have a good day? The rest of it after recess?” 

“Yeah,” Yuuri lies, trying to smile a little. “Did you?”

“Uhm-,” Victor says, shuffling a little in place. “No, I was kind of nervous about this, so I couldn't concentrate in class and my art teacher got irritated.” 

“Oh, sorry,” Yuuri says, pulling at the straps of his backpack, looking down at the ground. “What- What was it you wanted to talk about?” 

He can hear Victor take a deep breath, and then he hears him move and just as Yuuri looks up he sees Victor step really close, hands coming to grab his. Victor laces their fingers together and Yuuri’s heart is beating so hard. Harder than it did when they were skating or dancing because Victor is so close and he’s licking his lips and Yuuri wants to kiss him more than anything in the world. 

“I really like you,” Victor says. “More than I’ve ever liked anyone before. You’re so beautiful and skate so wonderfully and I really have a lot of fun with you. I miss you all the time when I’m not with you and I- I was wondering if you would, if you would like to be my boyfriend?”  Victor’s blue eyes look into his and they have the softest look and the most pretty blush underneath them and Yuuri feels like he’s frozen in place because Victor just asked to be his boyfriend. He likes Yuuri enough to want to be his boyfriend!?

Victor seems to think Yuuri’s silence is some sort of rejection because his hopeful expression falls and he furrows his eyebrows.

“You don’t have to answer now if you don’t want to. You can think about it and-,”

Yuuri barely register what he’s doing as he pulls his hands from Victor’s hands and place them on Victor's neck, pushing up on his toes to press his lips against Victor’s. Victor gasps and his lips are soft. Yuuri feels dizzy, pressing a little closer as he feels Victor’s hands come to grip his waist. It’s just a press of lips, and Yuuri has to break away too soon because he might have forgotten to breathe because he was kissing Victor and oh my god he was kissing Victor! When Yuuri’s back with his feet on the ground he opens his eyes slowly, seeing the most breathtaking smile on Victor’s face as he does. He can feel a matching grin form on his face as a giggle leaves his lips.

“Was that a yes?” Victor asks, even though it looks like he already knows.    
“Yes,” Yuuri answers and the squeal that leaves Victor’s lips as he picks Yuuri up to spin him a lap is the happiest sound Yuuri’s ever heard. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awwww, look at them and how cute they are. I'm melting. 
> 
> Next week: Yuuri's birthday is approaching, and Victor wants to make sure it's perfect. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think in the comment section or on other platforms like:  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/linisen) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mjaoue)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A gazillion thanks to [takeitoffhemmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeitoffhemmo) for the beta and cheer. You're the sweetest <3.

Victor takes a deep breath, shaking himself a little, trying to get the nerves pooling in his gut to disappear, without any luck. This is silly, but it doesn’t feel like it’s silly. He grips the handles of the bike a little tighter, swallowing as he glances up at the large yellow wooden villa. It’s a big house, much too big for a family of four, but then again it’s not just for them. The house has white edges and windowsills, and a small porch that stretches between the two small wings of the house. It’s well kept, the gravel path leading up to it raked, lined with flowerbeds, now in the beginning of November, void of flowers. There’s a chill in the air, and Victor’s mom said this morning that it will probably start snowing at the end of the week. Victor twists his hands around the bicycle’s handle again, fingers tingling from the cold, from not wearing gloves.   
“You okay?” Yuuri asks, locking his bike to the cycle rack on the gravel driveway, breaking Victor out of his thoughts. 

“Yeah,” Victor answers, placing his bike next to Yuuri’s and locking it too. “Are your parents going to be home?” he asks as they move away from the bikes towards the house, even though he knows the answer. 

Yuuri nods, adjusting the bag on his shoulder before reaching his hand out. Victor takes it immediately, lacing their fingers together when the nerves caused by meeting Yuuri’s parents for the first time are exchanged by the pleasant ones he always feels when he touches Yuuri in anyway. Victor smiles, biting his lower lip a little as Yuuri blushes, smiling too. God, he’s so pretty and he’s Victor’s  _ boyfriend _ .

They’ve been boyfriends for two weeks now, and Victor has loved every second of it. They are both pretty busy with school and training, so they haven’t been able to hang outside of school much yet, just two afternoons that were spent in Victor’s parents large suite apartment. They’ve spent almost every recess and lunch in school together, and Victor always makes sure to meet Yuuri by his locker every morning before classes start, to give him a good morning kiss. They text a lot too. Yuuri’s met his parents, and that went well. Yuuri helped his mother with dinner and talked about school with his father and had charmed them both, of course. Makka was also completely smitten with Yuuri and who could blame her? Yuuri just has that effect on people. Victor can only hope this will go well too. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if Yuuri’s parents don’t like him. What if they forbid him from seeing Yuuri? Will Yuuri break up with him? WIll they have to have a secret relationship? Sneak around and eventually run away together? Not that Victor would mind that, but they should probably finish school first, so they can get jobs. 

Yuuri leads him around the house, away from the large main entrance that’s used for the guests to the bed and breakfast, to the family's door. Yuuri opens it and steps into the small hallway, one door seemingly leading into the ground floor of the house, and a staircase leading up to the other floors. 

“I’m home!” Yuuri calls loudly, a muffled ‘welcome home’ coming from deeper inside the house. Yuuri kicks off his shoes, shrugging off his backpack and jacket and hanging them on a hook over the shooerack. Victor follows, happily taking Yuuri’s hand when he’s done. 

“Let’s just go say hi before we go up to my room, okay?” Yuuri asks, squeezing his hand once before opening the door leading into the house. It’s a large kitchen, much bigger than the one Victor’s home has. There are two fridges and freezers, a large stove and two ovens. There’s no table in the kitchen, seemingly only for preparing and cooking food, not eating. There’s a swinging door leading out of the kitchen in the opposite direction from where they came in, and Yuuri seems to be heading for it. 

“This is the kitchen,” Yuuri says as he moves them across the room. “Mom and dad spend a lot of time in here. They make all the food for the guests and for us. We usually have  four to six couples staying, but we have room for nine. We provide dinner as well, and some come from town to eat here too. My family’s rooms are on the third floor, and the guest rooms on the second.”

Victor nods. It’s very different from how Victor’s parents work. He can hardly imagine what it would be like to have them home all the time. Both of his parents work in offices, his mother with human resources at a hospital and his father as the director of a larger convenience store. They are both gone most of the day, coming home late in the evening for dinner together, leaving Victor to take care of himself until they get off from work. Yuuri has them around all the time. Victor’s a little jealous. 

He follows Yuuri out of the kitchen into a small dining room filled with two to four person tables, covered in white cloths. A woman is moving around in the room, setting down utensils and napkins. She notices them as soon as they step into the room, and her face breaks into a wide smile. She has round glasses and cheeks, short dark hair and brown eyes smiling. She looks a lot like Yuuri. 

“Hi Mom,” Yuuri says as the woman, Yuuri’s mom,  _ oh my god, oh my god, Yuuri’s mom! _ , comes over with a wide smile. “This is Victor.” 

The woman's eyes falls down on their joint hands and then she reaches her hand out, eyes warm and smile soft and knowing. Adults have been doing that a lot around them lately. Victor’s not sure how he feels about it. 

“Nice to meet you, Victor. Yuuri’s talked a lot about you. I’m Hiroko.” Victor grabs her hand, extremely grateful that he’s holding Yuuri’s in his left, so he can reach out to greet her but still hold on to Yuuri. 

“Nice to meet you too,” Victor says, licking his lips nervously, shifting a little from one foot to the other. “You have a lovely house.” 

“Thank you,” Hiroko answers, eyes continuing to dart down to their joined hands. “Yuuri has told me you skate too?” 

“Yes, but I can’t do it as pretty as Yuuri. I do hockey,” Victor says, glancing over to Yuuri who’s blushing slightly, opening his mouth to say something but getting interrupted by his mother.    
“Oh! Hockey, the game? Yuuri’s father watches that on TV. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to talk to you about it.”

“Where is dad?” Yuuri asks, starting to swing their hands a little. Victor’s heart jumps having to pry his eyes away from Yuuri’s cute profile to look at Hiroko. He doesn’t want to come off as rude for not paying attention to her. It’s just so hard to focus when he’s around Yuuri. 

“He’s cleaning out the rooms of the guests that left today,” Hiroko answers and Yuuri nods. “How was school?” 

“Good, nothing special,” Yuuri shrugs. Hiroko narrows her eyes slightly, looking like she wants to ask more, but she interrupts herself as she looks over at Victor again. 

“Are you two hungry? I can make you something?” she suggests. 

“Are you?” Yuuri asks, but Victor shakes his head, he’s far too nervous to eat. Yuuri nods agreeingly, turning to his mother again “Nothing for us, we’ll go up to my room.”

“Okay, I’ll call you down for dinner later?” Hiroko says.

“Okay,” Yuuri agrees, turning to start to tug Victor out of the room who waves at Hiroko who chuckles. 

They move through the house, up to the top floor, coming up to a living room first, and Yuuri points out his parents’ and sister’s bedroom before leaning Victor to his own. It’s pretty small, with a bed, a small TV, a desk and a wardrobe. The walls are covered with posters of figure skaters and dancers. It’s nice, cosy. 

“I like it, it's very Yuuri,” Victor proclaims, turning towards his boyfriend. Yuuri giggles and shakes his head, scrunching up his nose slightly and it’s so cute. 

“What does that even mean?” Yuuri asks and Victor smiles, tugging on Yuuri’s arm to pull him closer. Yuuri lets out a startled yelp, but follows into Victor’s space. Hands landing on Victor’s chest as Victor’s arms wrap around Yuuri’s waist. Yuuri is so beautiful, cheeks pink and eyes wide and curious. Victor leans down, pressing his lips carefully against Yuuri’s warm ones. Yuuri hums, hands coming up to Victor’s neck as he presses closer. Kissing Yuuri is fantastic. It makes Victor’s heart race and lips tingle and butterflies erupt in his stomach. Yuuri’s warm lips kiss his upper lip, and then his cheek and then his lips again and Victor feels like he might float away because it feels so nice, body tingling and warm. Yuuri pulls back first, cheeks even more flushed and lips wet and pink.

“I like you,” Yuuri says, tucking himself under Victor’s chin and Victor feels like he might explode with how much he likes Yuuri too. 

“I like you more,” Victor says, tightening his grip around Yuuri and for awhile they just stand there, holding each other and it’s really, really cozy and nice. Yuuri fits perfectly in his embrace. After a few minutes, Yuuri straightens to give a kiss to the underside of Victor’s jaw, before stepping away slightly. 

“You want to play some video games?” he asks, and Victor nods, dazed from the kiss and Yuuri’s unfairly pretty smile. 

Yuuri sets up the PS4, placing  the NHL video game in the console. Victor’s parents don't let him play video games, but he’s tried a few times with friends. It’s still nice to have Yuuri go over what all the buttons are for, and Victor hopes that his questions aren’t dumb or something like that. Yuuri just smiles, explains again and then they get to picking teams and start the game. 

Yuuri wins all of them, Victor tries so hard, hoping he’ll have some sort of advantage because of actually playing the game, but he definitely does not. Yuuri is vicious, making dribbles and goals like nothing and no matter how much Victor button smashes he just can’t catch up. When Yuuri wins his fourth game, small proud smile on his lips, Victor can’t help but lean over to kiss him on the lips, twice. 

“Wow, Yuuri! Is there anything you’re not amazing at?” Victor says and Yuuri blushes so prettily, making Victor laugh as he presses a kiss to the heated cheek. 

“I can’t make goals like that like you can though,” Yuuri protests, pressing his own lips against Victor’s this time.

“I can teach you, next time we skate,” Victor suggest, arms wrapping around Yuuri’s shoulders to pull him close. 

“Yeah?” Yuuri asks, pressing his lips against Victor cheek, making Victor giggle. 

A knock on the door interrupts them, and when they’ve untangled slightly Yuuri calls out to answer. It turns out to be his sister Mari, coming to get them since the food is ready. 

Dinner tastes amazing, and Victor has to hold back to not dive into the plate and devour it. Hiroko laughs and serves him more, and Toshiya asks about  hockey and school. Mari seems a little less social but she doesn’t seem mean or anything and all and all it’s nice. They talk about Yuuri’s figure skating too, how he’s going to compete in junior nationals in the beginning of December, and how hard he’s working for it. His dance teacher Minako’s been helping him choreograph and he’s really nervous and excited. Victor hopes he’ll be able to go with, but he hasn't told Yuuri that yet. He needs to make sure first. Everything’s great, until Hiroko looks over at Yuuri, just as Toshiya starts to clear away the plates.

“Have you decided what you want to do for your birthday yet Yuuri?” 

Victor looks over at his boyfriend who fidgets and shrugs, eyes wide in shock. Is it Yuuri’s birthday soon?

“I have dance practice after school that day, so I don’t know. We can just have katsudon like we usually do, nothing special.” 

“When’s your birthday?” Victor asks. It has to be on a Monday or Thursday because Victor knows Yuuri has dance those days. Hopefully it’s not too close, and Victor will have time to get him a gift. Yuuri blushes a little, looking down into the table. 

“November 29th. In two weeks on Thursday.”  

Two weeks. That’s great! Victor will have lots of time to find something until then! He needs to find the perfect gift for Yuuri. He may have to dig into the money he got from helping his neighbour move her piano, but it will be worth it. Yuuri is the best boyfriend, and Victor needs to show how much he likes him. 

“Do you want to come for dinner for Yuuri’s birthday, Victor?” Yuuri’s mom asks. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to!” Yuuri calls out, arms waving a little bit. Victor really wishes they were alone so he could kiss him. He nudges his foot against Yuuri’s ankle under the table instead, a soft pink blush spreading on Yuuri’s cheeks.  _ Cuuute _ . 

“I’d love to!”

 

“How about this one?” 

Victor frowns, looking over to where Chris is holding up a pair of white mittens. He drops the blue gym bag he’s been holding to go over to his friend. Yuuri’s hands are often cold, but Victor sort of likes the way his boyfriend sneaks his hands into Victor’s jacket pocket, or into his own mitten, to lace their fingers together. Yuuri might stop doing that if Victor gets him his own mittens, but at the same time he really doesn’t want Yuuri to be cold. He takes the mittens from Chris and eyes them closely. They’re very plain, and Victor sighs as he puts them back in the bin. He wants to get Yuuri something special, but still within the budget he has. 

Chris lets out a deep sigh, tapping on his phone, clearly texting. “What do you want to get him then? This is like the tenth store we’ve been in.” 

“I don’t know,” Victor admits, leaning back against the bin, looking around the sports store. “I just want to get him something great. I don’t want him to think I’m a bad boyfriend.”

“I don’t think Yuuri would think you’re a bad boyfriend because your birthday present isn’t perfect,” Chris says, raising one eyebrow and Victor frowns but nods. 

“I know, which is why I want to get him something amazing,” Victor says, suddenly spotting the skate display. 

“That makes no sense,” Chis protests. 

“You’ll understand when you fall in love,” Victor says dismissively, pushing off the bin to stalk across the store. Yuuri loves skating, maybe something in the skate department will feel right. He reaches it and starts looking through the goods, finding mostly hockey equipment. There’s a small display of things more figure skating oriented, extra laces, heaters and skate guards. Victor picks up a pair of blue skate guards, eyeing them closely. Yuuri’s skate guards does look a bit well worn. Maybe new ones would be good?

“You skate?” 

Victor turns to spot one of the store clerks, a middle aged woman, smiling softly, looking down at the skate guards in Victor’s hands. 

“Uhm-. Yeah. I mean I do hockey but my boyfriend figure skates and I’m trying to find a birthday present for him,” Victor says, feeling a small blush spread across his cheeks as the woman smiles.

“Okay, well skate guards are a good idea then, are you interested in those?” she asks, motioning toward the guards. Victor looks down at them, frowning. 

“Maybe? I sort of what it to be something special and I don’t know if it’s enough.” 

“Oh, well, we have this protective plastic that we hand glue onto them with a print if you want too?” she asks, picking up a pair of white skate guards with pink hearts on them. “These were white skate guards but then we printed the wrap and fastened it on so now it looks like this. Is there anything else, other than skating, that he likes?”

Victor lights up, “Poodles!” he says. This is a great idea, it would be so personal and cool. He’s sure Yuuri will love it. “Is it expensive?” 

The woman laughs, shaking her head. “Not at all, come and we’ll fix it for you.” 

Victor grins, holding the skate guards tight against his chest as he follows the woman through the store. 

 

The day of Yuuri’s birthday, Victor has home ec in the afternoon, which is perfect, because it means he can bake something for Yuuri. He met his sweet boyfriend this morning and gave him three kisses before they both had to rush to class. Yuuri had skating the second period and wasn’t in school for recess, but they’ve decided to meet up at the afternoon recess, which is right after Victor’s home ec lesson. It’s better than Victor could have ever planned it. Victor can’t say he’s a great baker, but he shows the recipe he found online to the teacher, asking if he can make it. She coos over how sweet he is to want to bake something for his boyfriend, and immediately helps. 

Chris and Takeshi watches amused as Yuuko helps, scolding the other boys when they tease them, telling them they won’t get to taste. It’s true. Victor doesn’t intend to give them any of it. Yuuko can have one of the cupcakes since she’s being so sweet to help, but the rest are for Yuuri. 

They mix the blueberry batter for the sponge, placing the pan in the oven to bake as they make the frosting. It’s caramel and vanilla, and it turns out so yummy! The muffins turn out good too, and he pulls them out to let them cool. It feels like it takes forever, and Victor keeps glancing at the clock, stressing about not having enough time. In the end they place them in the freezer for ten minutes just to make sure they’re cool enough, before applying the frosting. The teacher has to help Victor smooth it out, but in the end they look perfect. Super proud, he carries the tray down the hall towards the Hangout Hall. Chris and Takeshi act like bodyguards, shooing away curious teammates from the hockey team, trying to steal the treats. 

They round the corner, and Victor can’t contain his smile or blush as he spots Yuuri seeing him. His jaw drops, deep brown eyes wide in surprise. Phichit, who Victor guesses has been warned about this celebration from Chris, of course takes this opportunity to stand up on the bench, starting to scream shout out the birthday song, Leo and Guang Hong joining in enthusiastically. Yuuri’s cheeks color deep crimson, the entourage coming with Victor in the form of Chris, Takesi and Yuuko joining in the song as Victor slide into the bench, placing the tray of cupcakes carefully on the table before pressing a kiss on Yuuri’s cheek. 

“Happy birthday, sweet thing,” he says, the crowd around them finishing their song to give a loud four time cheer, breaking into applause afterward. Yuuri reaches over to hide his face in the crook of Victor’s neck, hand coming to snake around Victor’s waist. For a second Victor’s stomach drops. He didn’t mean to make such a big deal of it. He just wanted to bake his boyfriend a treat. He’s just about to apologize but then he feels Yuuri’ smile against his skin, pressing close before straightening, pressing his lips against Victor’s in a hard kiss. Victor startles, but melts into it easily, hands coming up to cup Yuuri’s cheeks as he presses closer too. Loud wolf whistles break out around them and they break apart reluctantly, both with wide eyes but Yuuri with a brilliant smile, leaning forward to leave one more quick peck on his lips. 

“You made these for me?” Yuuri asks, turning back to the table to look at the treats. Victor can see their friends vibrating with excitement, but Victor has made it very clear that all the cupcakes are Yuuri’s and he gets to decide what to do with them. Victor lays his arm across Yuuri’s shoulders, pressing him close to his side as he nods.

“Yeah, they’re all for you.”

Yuuri loves the skate guards as well, and the kiss Victor gets after giving them to Yuuri when they're alone by Yuuri's locker later makes Victor feel dizzy for hours. 

 

Since Victor is turning fifteen in a few weeks, his parents have agreed to let him go to watch Yuuri compete at nationals  _ alone _ . He’s so excited he thinks he’s going to burst! To get to see Yuuri skate live again, hopefully three times if things go well. It’s the best early birthday gift Victor’s ever gotten. 

He won’t be completely alone of course. Yuuri will be there with his dance teacher Minako, and Yuuko and Takeshi are coming along as well. Phichit, Leo and Guang Hong all wanted to come but since none of them had qualified, and none of their parents wanted to come with, they were forced to stay at home. Yuuko has promised to text them everything, especially after Phichit dramatically cried on her shoulder at recess three days ago about how cruel and unfair life is.  

Victor and Takeshi have a hotel room together, and Yuuko is sharing with Yuuri, since he would rather share with her than Minako. He said that she sometimes stays up way too late or comes home drunk and wakes him up, so it’s better to stay somewhere else. Victor is very jealous about it, because he would love to share a room with Yuuri. They haven’t talked about sleepovers yet, even though they have both texted ‘wish you were here’ texts when they’re in bed before saying good night followed by a bunch of heart emojis. 

Victor would love to sleep next to Yuuri. To wrap his arms around him, falling asleep with Yuuri’s back pressed against his chest. Yuuri once fell asleep on him when they were watching a movie and it was so warm and cuddly and nice that Victor never wanted to move. Unfortunately, his mother came to drive Yuuri home, and his beautiful boyfriend had blinked his eyes open slowly, snuggling a little closer to Victor before yawning. Victor had almost died of cuteness overload. To spend an entire night together, to get to wake up next to Yuuri and kiss him first thing in the morning sounds like a dream. 

Yuuri, Yuuko and Minako left a few days before, and when Victor and Takeshi arrives early on Friday it’s just before the short program. They have tickets bought for all of the events, because Victor is sure Yuuri will place good enough to be in the exhibition. Victor’s only seen Yuuri’s free skate, so he’s really excited to see his other two programs. He’s convinced they will all be amazing. Yuuko meets them in the arena lobby and together they make their way to their seats. There are three groups of skaters, but only the six best will move on to skate their free program the following day. There is one group before Yuuri’s and Yuuko runs commentary on them, who’s been in nationals before, where they placed, who’s new and who’s probably moving up to seniors next season. Victor sends a text to Yuuri, wishing him good luck and that he misses him, but gets no response. He figures his boyfriend isn’t checking his phone, probably doing warm ups. 

“Yuuri was pretty nervous this morning, I hope things are better now,” Yuuko says as the second group of skaters come on the ice. Yuuri is in his new black and blue nationals jacket, and he looks amazing. His hair is pushed back, and he’s wearing contacts instead of his glasses, and Victor can’t believe he has a boyfriend that’s so hot. Yuuri looks tense though, and he wobbles on a few jumps during the warm up, making Victor’s stomach drop. With every fumbling, Yuuri’s shoulders set a little more, jaw clenched tight and eyes missing their usual warmth. It makes something uncomfortable pool in Victor’s gut. 

Yuuri goes first, and when the music starts Victor feels as if spellbound. Yuuri moves gracefully through his program, strokes sure and movements powerful. The first jump goes well, so does the second. There are steps and spins and Victor’s heart swells with pride because that’s his boyfriend. Someone this amazing likes Victor enough to want to be with him. It’s amazing. 

The third jump comes, and just as Yuuri lands, his foot wobbles, and he has to put a hand down on the ice to not lose his balance. The crowd draws a collective gasp, and the tightness is back in Yuuri’s shoulders, movements a little less fluid. The rest of the program goes without incident, and Victor cheers loudest of them all when Yuuri hits his ending pose, throwing down one of the three plushies he’s bought for the occasion. Yuuri lets out a breath, eyebrows furrowed and jaw set. 

“He looks upset,” Takeshi says, and Victor can’t pry his eyes away from Yuuri as he makes his way to the opening in the barrier, being met by Minako.

“But he did so well,” Victor protests. It was just a small slip. Yuuri did his program beautifully, he should be proud. 

The scores come in and they’re high, placing Yuuri at the top for now. Victor wants to rush down to congratulate him, but has to wait until all of the skaters are done. Yuuko says Yuuri will be busy until then anyway, so he wouldn't be able to talk to Victor. At the end of the short program, Yuuri’s in fourth, and has moved on to the freeskate, just like Victor knew he would. 

He bounces down to the lobby, eyes scanning the area for familiar balck hair and a new jacket. He spots Minako first, and sprints forward through the crowd. He spots Yuuri when he’s just a few meters away and runs faster, reaching out to grab his arm. He wants to hug him and tell him how well he did, how proud Victor is, but as soon as his fingers reach Yuuri the boy flinches back, eyes wide and jaw set as he takes several steps back. 

“Oh,” Victor starts. Maybe he startled him. “Sorry.” 

“You can’t just jump people like that,” Yuuri says and Victor’s heart drops. He’s never seen the look Yuuri has in his eye right now, cold and distant. Like Victor means nothing to him. Dread starts to fill Victor’s body because he did the wrong thing and he needs to fix it, he didn’t mean to make Yuuri uncomfortable. 

“I- I’m sorry,” he says, trying to find anything more to say to wipe that cold blank expression off Yuuri’s face. He doesn’t know how. Has no idea how to bring back that pretty blush and smile because Yuuri has never, ever looked like this.

“Yuuri, we have to go talk to the press now,” Minako says, turning from her own conversation to them. Yuuri is looking down into the floor as he nods, and then without a single glance towards Victor he turns, and walks away. 

Victor wants to rush after, to ask what he did wrong, to get rid of his horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach and the pain in his heart but he can’t. Yuuri clearly doesn’t want him too, and Victor doesn’t know how to make it right. Tears starts burning in his eyes and he has to take several breaths to not let them spill. It feels like everything hurts. 

Yuuko and Takeshi finds him and they make their way back to the hotel, Victor trying to explain what happened, trying to understand. Yuuko says something about Yuuri having anxiety and Takeshi says Victor should stop worrying so much, but how can Victor when Yuuri might not like him any more? 

 

He checks his phone once every other minute, hoping for something from Yuuri, but it never comes. 

 

It’s late in the evening when someone knocks on Victor and Takeshi’s hotel room, interrupting the trio’s card game. Takeshi gets up to see who it is and as soon as Victor hear’s Yuuri asking if he can talk to Victor he scrambles off the bed, cards forgotten. He stops in the middle of the room, watching as Yuuri fidgets in the door opening. His hair is still wet, like he’s just come out of the shower, and his eyes are lined with red. It looks like he’s been crying, and the sight breaks Victor’s heart. He wants to walk over and hug him and kiss him and make it all better but he doesn’t know if he can. Yuuko comes off the bed too and grabs Takeshi’s hand to pull him out of the room, calling a ‘take as much time as you need, we’ll be in my room!’ towards them before the door falls shut behind Yuuri, leaving them alone in the empty room. 

“I’m sorry I flinched back and that I yelled at you,” Yuuri starts, eyes downcast as he shuffles his shoecoverd feet on the floor. His voice is trembling and even though there’s only a few meters separating them, it feels like he’s so far away. Yuuri takes a deep breath, the exhale shuddering as if he’s forcing it out. “If you don’t want to be my boyfriend anymore I understand.”

Victor’s stomach drops, dread filling his entire body because NO! Of course he doesn’t want that!

“Is that what you want?” he asks, feeling those tears burn in his eyes again. How could he screw this up so much? He wishes he could go back and fix it, do everything differently. 

“Of course not,” Yuuri whispers, and his voice is so heavy, as if tears are filling his eyes as well. It gives Victor some hope. Maybe everything isn’t ruined. 

“Me neither!” He all but shouts, taking a step closer to Yuuri, but not closing the distance completely. He doesn’t want to assume again, or oversep.  “I- I like you so much, Yuuri. More than anyone or anything. Can’t you tell me what I did wrong instead?” 

Yuuri’s head snaps up, brown eyes finally meeting his and Victor’s heart breaks because Yuuri looks devastated. His eyes are even redder and filled with unshed tears, cheeks blotchy. 

“You didn’t do anything wrong!” Yuuri protests, sniffling to keep the tears in. “It was all me. I fell! I can’t believe they gave me this chance and I fell! And then I pushed you away and I didn’t want to and I’m so sorry- I’m so sorry!” Yuuri hiccups, breaths ragged and Victor can’t hold back anymore, because it’s breaking him apart to see Yuuri, bright, beautiful, lovely Yuuri, feel like this. He closes the distance between them, just centimeters apart before he asks. 

“Can I please hug you?”

Yuuri nods, and that’s all Victor needs to pull him to his chest and bury his nose in his hair. Yuuri’s hands come to fist in his shirt by his hips and then they just stand there, holding on. Victor has no idea how to handle this. No one has ever cried in front of him before. He has no idea what to do or say, but this feels right. He hopes it helps Yuuri in some way. After a while Yuuri’s sobs still, breath evening out but Victor just continues to rub his back, hoping Yuuri can guide him through what’s best to do. Yuuri lets go of his waist, rubbing the tears away with his shirtsleeve, before looking up at Victor, eyes redder but posture more relaxed, eyes having more of that pretty life that’s always there again. 

“You want to sit?” Victor asks and Yuuri nods. They sit down on the bed and Yuuri presses close instantly, and Victor’s heart soars, because Yuuri doesn’t hate him, doesn’t want to break up. 

“I know you put your hand on the ice,” Victor starts, and feels Yuuri tense in his arms, but pushes through, hoping it’s not wrong. “You were so beautiful though. I loved all of it, and you were still good enough to move on to the next day, which means you were one of the top six of like twenty,” he says, letting his hands drift to Yuuri’s hair. He’s wanted to do this forever, run his hands through Yuuri’s thick black hair, feel the strands between his fingers. Yuuri lets out a sigh, mumbling into Victor’s chest; 

“There must have been some sort of mistake.” 

Victor gasps as if offended, which frankly he is.

“It’s not!” he protests, letting his hands caress down to Yuuri’s cheeks so they can look at each other. He puts as much determination into his eyes as he can “Yuuri, you were breathtaking!”

“It wasn’t perfect though,” Yuuri protests with a furrow of his eyebrows and Victor can’t stop himself as he leans down to kiss it. 

“I loved it,” Victor proclaims, meaning all of it. Yuuri was so mesmerising and he could watch him skate all day. “I can’t wait to see the free again! It’s so pretty.”

“Ugh,” Yuuri groans, hiding his face in Victor’s neck. His breath tickles a little and Victor tries not to squirm, because it’s so nice to have Yuuri this close, especially since just an hour ago Victor thought he might never get to hold him again. “I’m scared I’ll mess it up too.” 

“I believe in you, Yuuri. If you get scared, just skate for me,” Victor says. He knows that would help him. If he was nervous for a game and he would play it to impress Yuuri, it would be so much easier than thinking about his teammates and the coach and the fans.  

“You do?” Yuuri asks, straightening again, looking into Victor’s eyes, fire returning. Victor nods rapidly, smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

“I do! I really, really do,” Victor promises, watching a small smile spread on Yuuri’s lips. “And I don’t care about competitions or things like that. I like you. I will still be your boyfriend even if you fall a gazillion times on the ice.”

“Promise?” Yuuri asks, leaning closer so their lips are almost touching. Victor’s heart is beating a mile a minute because Yuuri is so close and his lips are so close and this is still so exciting, so thrilling and addicting.  

“Promise.”

Yuuri closes the distance, and presses his chapped lips against Victor’s, hands splayed on Victor’s chest. It’s dizzying and makes him feel breathless, like when he’s done interval training at practice. He grips at Yuuri’s hips, pressing close as all the feelings of the day comes crashing down on him. The excitement, heartbreak and fear. Hope and love. He’s so in love. He never wants to let go. They break apart for air, and the words are rushing out of Victor’s mouth before he can stop himself, even if he can feel a deep blush spread across his cheeks. 

“Stay here? Tonight.” 

Yuuri’s eyes go wide, hands still on Victor’s chest and he must feel how hard Victor’s heart is beating, how it’s rushing like wild horses hooves on a heath. A blush spreads on Yuuri’s cheeks too, but so does his smile. 

“You want to sleep with me?” Yuuri asks and Victor nods, blush deepening.    
“Only sleeping of course. It’s just- I’ve thought about it a lot. That I want to.”

Yuuri’s smile is so radiant, and he pushes up to peck at Victor’s lips once. 

“Yes. I want to stay too, “ Yuuri admits, kissing him again and again. Victor giggles, hearing how Yuuri’s shoes hit the floor as he kicks them off. They crawl up the bed, lips barely separating as they settle into the pillows. Victor cups Yuuri’s face as they continue kissing, pressing close as their mouths slowly open, deepening the kiss. It sets off warmth in Victor’s gut, making his entire body feel warm and tingling. They kiss for a long time, until their lips are sore and they have both whispered ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I like you’ countless times into each other’s mouths. 

Yuuri yawns first, and Victor ushers him into the bathroom, giving him the extra toothbrush his mother sent with him, as he sends a text to Takeshi informing him that he and Yuuri made up and that Yuuri will be staying in their room. They solve the pyjamas problem with Yuuri borrowing one of Victor’s t-shirts and it’s so cute Victor thinks he might die from how adorable Yuuri looks in the large shirt. He’s never going to be able to look at that shirt the same way again. It might be his favorite t-shirt ever suddenly. Victor grabs a t-shirt too, even though he usually sleeps only in his underwear, and with more kisses, happy giggles and whispers of good night, they fall asleep in each others arms, pressed tight in the small hotel bed. 

 

The blaring sound of Yuuri’s phone going off wakes Victor from his slumber, alarm telling them it’s time to get up. He reaches for it on the nightstand, having to half roll over Yuuri because his other arm is underneath his boyfriend and has probably been the entire night since it’s fast asleep, tingling and pinching, Victor doesn't mind one bit. Yuuri mumbles something, half awake, half asleep and Victor can’t resist pressing his lips to Yuuri’s, peppering his entire face with them until Yuuri giggles, sleepy eyes blinking open. 

“Morning, pretty boy,” Victor says as he pulls back to take in Yuuri’s messy hair, warm gaze and crimson cheeks. 

“Morning,” Yuuri agrees, arms circling Victor’s neck to pull him down into a kiss again. It’s warm and nice and it sends tingles all through Victor’s body. Sleeping together was the best idea ever. 

They regrettably untangle and leave the bed. Yuuri has an early skate today and has to be at the rink soon to warm up. Victor walks him to his room as they talk about the other skaters and who Yuuri knows and doesn’t. Their linked hands swing between them as they make their way over to Yuuri and Yuuko’s hotel room, Yuuri swiping the card and opening the door. 

They spot Yuuko and Takeshi in the same bed almost immediately, and they both freeze, exchanging wide eyed looks. The pair seems to be sleeping, and Yuuri quickly untangles from Victor to grab his skating bag and then they rush out of the room. As soon as the door falls shut they both erupt into giggles, Yuuri holding his hand over his mouth, eyes dancing with laughter. 

“I had no idea!?” Victor exclaims as they move to the elevator to go downstairs to get breakfast, still giggling. “Did you know?”

“I knew she liked him but noooo,” Yuuri says with wide eyes, erupting into giggles again. “Oh my god.” 

“I guess you staying in my room helped them out then,” Vicor says, pulling Yuuri close to his side as they stop to wait for the elevator, getting a kiss on the cheek as Yuuri leans in. 

“I guess so. Maybe we can do it again tonight,” Yuuri says and Victor feels butterflies erupt in his stomach. He’s not sure he’ll ever be able to sleep without Yuuri ever again. 

 

Victor goes with Yuuri to the arena after breakfast, sitting in the stands watching warm ups and playing games on his phone as he waits. Yuuko and Takeshi come hand in hand fifteen minutes before the male junior free skate is about to begin and Victor can hardly stop himself from teasing them, both of them blushing and stuttering while Victor laughs. They are cute together though, and even if Victor wouldn't have guessed, they do make a good couple. Not as good as him and Yuuri of course, but okay. He tells them as much which earns him a raspberry from Yuuko and Takeshi trying to kick him in the knee. 

To everyone’s surprise but Victor’s, Yuuri wins junior nationals. His skate is breathtakingly beautiful, and Victor has to hold back tears because Yuuri is the prettiest thing Victor has ever seen, can even imagine. Yuuri seems most surprised of all, as he stands with the gold medal around his neck on the top of the podium, staring up at Victor who can’t stop throwing him kisses from the stands. This means Yuuri is going to compete nationally. It's huge. Victor is crazy proud, and so in love. The gold medal rests on the nightstand in Victor’s hotel room that night, Yuuri and Takeshi switching their luggage without anyone commenting on it. 

 

“Watch me,” is the last thing Yuuri says before they part for the exhibition skate. “I’m only thinking about you.” 

Victor thinks he might explode with how his heart beats rapidly in his chest, and doesn’t slow until he has Yuuri in his arms again after the event. Yuuri smiles the entire exhibition skate, dancing across the ice as he moves to lyrics sweeter than any words they’ve ever exchanged. Victor feels every word resonates with him, wide smile on his face as Yuuri continues to move, as if skating just for him. Victor is so in love with him he thinks he’s going to explode. Yuuri stops, hands shaped as a heart in front of his chest, looking straight up at where Victor’s sitting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw, well done boys, working that out <3\. 
> 
> Next update will be on August 22, and involves a hockey game and valentines day. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think in the comment section or on other platforms like:  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/linisen) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mjaoue)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by the lovely [takeitoffhemmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeitoffhemmo)
> 
> So, I'm still basing this of Swedish laws and educations system if anything seems weird. What you need to know is that in Sweden you can't get a drivers license until you're 18, so High Schoolers usually drive something else....

**Chapter 4**

Yuuri has a new morning routine. Just like before, he gets up when the third alarm goes off, pushing off his bed and grab the clothes he’s put out the night before, yawning and rubbing his eyes before placing the glasses on his nose. He shuffles to the bathroom, smiling as he spots Victor’s deep blue shirt in the mirror covering his frame. His boyfriend has started leaving sports jackets and sweatshirts when he visits, and Yuuri is not complaining. They’re all cozy, a bit too big and keep him warm in the winter cold. They all smell like Victor, making Yuuri’s heart flutter every time he catches a whiff of Victor’s cologne on the garments. 

Just like always he goes down the stairs, meets his parents and Mari in the kitchen, being handed a cup of tea and a sandwich, eating it standing as he watches the rest of his family prepare breakfast for the guests, talking about his plans for the day. He’s just swallowed the last of his tea when the changed part of his morning routine happens. His phone dings, and he doesn't have to look to know who it is, small smile spreading on his lips.

“Tell Victor to drive safely,” his father says as he accepts Yuuri’s now empty cup, knowing smile on his face. Yuuri mumbles ‘yes dad’ before he hurries to the hallway, brushing his teeth and then pulling on winter boots, scarf, mittens and jacket, grabbing the helmet by the door. 

He hurries around the house with quick steps, smiling widely as he spots his boyfriend leaning against his black moped. Victor is looking down at his phone but as soon as he hears Yuuri he looks up and pockets it, smile wide and heart shaped. 

“Hi!” Yuuri says as soon as he gets close enough, increasing his pace so he will get there sooner, the need to press close to Victor suddenly overwhelming. 

“Good morning, Yuuri,” Victor says, arms wrapping around Yuuri as soon as he’s able, leaning down slightly to press their lips together in a quick kiss that then turns into a hug. “Did you sleep well?”

Yuuri nods, squeezing Victor tight before stepping back. “I did, missed you though.” A blush spread on Yuuri’s cheeks as he says the words, and Victor’s smile widens, leaning down to peck at Yuuri’s nose, eyes dancing with joy. 

“Me too,” Victor agrees. “You think your parents are any closer to caving?” he asks as he pulls out his helmet, only the two braids resting on his shoulders visible of his long silver. Yuuri sighs, shaking his head. His parents have been extremely unfair and stubborn about not letting Victor sleepover or Yuuri sleeping at Victor’s. He hasn't told them that they already slept in the same bed two nights a little over two months ago at nationals, because he knows they would freak out. It’s like there’s no reasoning with them. They just keep saying things like ‘We don’t think you’re ready’ and ‘We don’t think it’s a good idea’ and Yuuri’s so sick of it. He and Victor have been together for almost four months now, and Victor has spent several afternoons and days at Yuuri’s house, and vice versa. Yuuri knows his parent’s like Victor, but that doesn’t seem to matter. 

“I hope they do soon,” Victor says as Yuuri pulls on his own helmet, one he got from Victor’s parents as a christmas gift when Victor got the moped, saying they knew they would probably spend a lot of time on it together. Victor seats himself across the seat and Yuuri jumps up behind him, wrapping his arms around Victor’s waist and pressing close. He can’t wait for warmer weather so he can press this close without all the heavy clothing. 

Victor kicks the moped on and then they’re off, and Yuuri buries his nose into Victor’s neck, happy he gets to start every school day like this. 

 

Yuuri rubs his hands between his thighs, trying to warm them up. He and Yuuko have been in the ice rink for half an hour now, and just recently the teams have come out to warm up on the ice. Yuuri came straight from squeezing in some ice time at Yuuko’s parents’ rink between school and Victor’s game. The Junior World Championship is in about a month and Yuuri needs all the practice he can get. He still can’t believe he won nationals, almost like he can’t believe Victor didn’t break up with him when he totally broke down and became a mess of nerves. Yuuri has no idea what he did to deserve such a wonderful boyfriend. 

His programs are getting better. Minako’s taken help from a coach through video calls twice a week, which has really helped. Yuuri’s become steadier in some of his jumps, which is great. His practice time has increased, and the National Ice Skating Association now donates some money to him. Most have gone to the coach, but some have gone to booking private ice time, which has also helped. Being able to use the entire ice without having to worry about skating into anyone else is so liberating. It’s made it much easier for him to get into his programs and work on the artistic and expression.

The added practice has made seeing Victor even harder, but they text and talk on the phone every night. None of them have practice on Tuesday nights and Saturday afternoons so they have a standing date booked on both of those days. Sometimes Victor comes over to Yuuri’s and helps with tending to the bed and breakfast, sometimes they hang out at Victor’s. Yuuri still can’t sleep over, which is crazy, because if he was allowed, they could spend time together until they both have practice on Sunday night. 

Victor is skating across the ice, stick in hand, dribbling the puck back side to side towards the cage. He’s so graceful, quick and fast. Yuuri has had more than a few daydreams about them being pair skaters. Victor would look amazing in a figure skater costume, and he’s really strong from all the time he spends in the gym. He could definitely lift Yuuri and throw him across the ice. He lifts Yuuri constantly, walking with him on his back on field trips and lifting him off the floor when they’re hugging. It’s very nice, and gives Yuuri butterflies every time. 

Victor smiles and waves from the ice, and Yuuri waves back. He’s in the hockey jersey he got when attending the first game, and by now he’s been to so many games that the organisers recognise him and tell him to go cheer for Victor with knowing grins. It’s really nice to be known as ‘Victor’s boyfriend’. It makes Yuuri feel proud. Victor throws him a kiss and Yuuri blushes, blowing him one back which Victor catches and brings to his heart. Yuuri’s smile widens as his blush deepens. He can see Victor turning to go back and have another shot at the goal, only to bump into a player from the other team. 

Yuuri can’t be sure, because he might have been a little distracted by Victor’s smile, but it looked like the guy skated right into Victor’s shoulder. The players exchange a few words before skating their separate ways, and even though Victor is wearing a ton of gear, Yuuri thinks he looks more tense than before. 

“That was weird,” Yuuri says, turning to Yuuko who turns to him as well. 

“What was weird?” She asks, glancing around the rink. 

“I think that skater from the other team bumped into Victor on purpose,” Yuuri says, pointing towards number 5 on the opposite team. 

“Really?” Yuuko asks, glancing around at the skaters. “Number five? Takeshi says this team is full of bruites, and that their coach encourages ‘harsh play’. Might be a few bad tackles.”

Yuuri feels his stomach turn at the information. Hockey is a harsh sport, and Yuuri has cringed several times as he watched Victor get slammed into barriers. None of them have been made with malice, and Victor has smashed a few times into the plexiglass as well. To think someone would be going for Victor makes Yuuri want to call the entire game off. Number five looks like a big guy, and Yuuri really doesn’t want Victor to get hurt or end up in a fight. Yuuri knows there are a lot of fights in hockey, but since they’re only in junior high it’s not allowed at all, and the entire game is called off if the players start throwing punches. Yuuri is very grateful for that. Victor’s explained that when he starts playing in high school things won’t be as soft. Yuuri tries very hard not to think about it, but it still keeps him up some nights. 

“I hope they’ll be alright,” Yuuri says, eyes drifting back to Victor who’s eyeing number five on the opposite team, only heightening Yuuri’s suspicions that something is going on. 

The game starts, and Victor is amazing like always, flying across the ice, forward and backwards, sprinting and rushing, shooting and scoring. Yuuri cheers as loud as he can from where he sits in the stand, sometimes up on his feet when the suspense or joy gets too big.  Yuuko’s right there with him, cheering for the same team, but calling out her boyfriend’s name, just like Yuuri’s calling for his. 

The home team is up by two goals when the first period is done, and Yuuri rushes over to the kiosk to buy him and Yuuko hotdogs, both of them forgetting to eat anything in between skating practice and the game. The girl at the register smiles warmly at him and asks about his skating, she too becoming a part of the people Yuuri’s gotten to know when cheering for Victor. She gives him a popcorn free of charge and with a string of ‘thank you’s’ he darts back to the stands, not wanting to miss a single second of Victor playing. 

The other team has been rougher than Victor’s team, but nothing major has happened yet, just a few tackles that was totally within the rules. Yuuri is slowly learning the rules of the game, and even if they all have strange names and don’t always make sense, Victor never teases him about getting it wrong. 

He makes it back in before the referee blows the whistle and then the game is on again. Yuuri keeps his eyes on his boyfriend more than the puck, and that is really the only reason he sees it. 

Victor has just made a pass, puck sliding across the ice towards Chris as he comes around from behind the goal, when number five rushes straight into him. It all happens so fast. One second Victor is moving forward, continuing to push towards the other team’s court half, and the next a shoulder collides with his chest  hard, pushing his chin up, helmet string sliding up his chin. 

Victor’s down on the ice in a second, even though Yuuri feels like he sees it in slow motion. How Victor’s feet loses the grip of the ice and how his body tilts back, falling without any way of catching himself, down on the ice. His back and the back of his head hits the ice and even though Yuuri shouldn't be able to hear it with how the crowd is cheering it feels like he does. It feels like he hears the crack of the ice when the helmet hits and Yuuri screams, panic stronger than any he’s felt before rushing up in his throat. 

Number five is still so close and it looks like he might do something else, something more and Yuuri is up out of his seat, ready to rush down on the ice to stop him, to get in the way, but before he has any chance Takeshi has the player from the opposing team up against the wall. The referee calls the game to a pause, all  the playing stops but Victor is still down on the ice, trying to get up. He looks dizzy, head swaying back and forth as he keeps trying to find purchase to push himself up, without managing. 

Yuuri’s moving now. He needs to get there, needs to help somehow. He can see medics coming onto the ice, the team gathering around Victor, blocking him from Yuuri’s view. He rushes down the stairs, circling the stands until he can get to the opening leading to the player’s entrance. He can hear his steps echo in the concrete hallway, running up the stairs to get up behind the player’s booths. He yanks the door open without much thought. He only knows he needs to get to Victor. A large hand stops him in his tracks. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Coach Feltsman asks, looking down at him. Yuuri sniffles. He didn’t even realise he was crying. 

“Please, I- I need to see that he’s okay,” Yuuri pleads. He’s met Coach Feltsman before, Victor introduced them when he’s brought Yuuri to practice. Yuuri sometimes does his homework at the rink, so he and Victor can hang out before and after. The gruff coach has told them both that Yuuri was not to be a distraction and ‘at least you found someone who can skate’ which Victor said was the closest thing one could get for an approval from Yakov. 

The coach’s face is hard, but his eyes are soft as he nods. Reaching over to a table to give Yuuri a tissue from a tissue box. Yuuri takes it gladly, wiping at his tears. 

“Stay here then, and we’ll see what the medics say when they come with him.”   
It doesn’t take long. Yuuri almost expects Victor to come on a gurney or something but he comes standing, Takeshi under one arm and Chris under the other, skating slowly, medic in front of him. They come through the hole in the barrier, sitting Victor down on the bench. Yuuri aches to move to him, but Yakov’s hand stops him again. 

“Let them do their job,” he says and Yuuri shivers, biting the inside of his cheek as he watches the medic carefully pluck the helmet from Victor’s head, starting to do exams. On the ice the game is still called off. The referees seem to be discussing something, the players on the other team lazily skating around the rink, the home team huddling by the barrier, worried eyes on their captain. 

Victor answers the questions, some of them the right way, some not, and worry spikes in Yuuri’s chest, making his chest pound harder. After a while, Yakov is called forward and Yuuri follows. As soon as Victor sees him he smiles, it’s a bit loopy, but warm. 

“Yuuriiii,” Victor says and with a worried look towards the medic, who nods, Yuuri sits down next to Victor. “‘M dizzy.” 

Yuuri doesn’t know what to say, he reaches out and plucks off Victor’s gloves, lacing their fingers together, squeezing tight. He can hear Yakov and the medic talk, and he should probably pay attention, but he can’t. All he can look at is Victor with his silver hair in the braided crown he always has when playing, hair a bit tousled. Yuuri reaches out and cups his cheek, Victor leaning into it immediately. 

“Does your head hurt?” Yuuri asks, and Victor takes a deep breath and nods, still leaning into the touch. 

“His helps,” Victor says, pressing his lips against Yuuri’s palm, making Yuuri’s stomach flutter with butterflies. The medic comes over again and crouches down in front of them, expression soft and unworried. That must be good, right?

“Okay, Victor? I think this is just a concussion, but I think it’s best if a doctor looks at it. I’ve called an ambulance and they’re on the way. I’m gonna call your parents as soon as they pick you up. Okay?”

“‘M bringing Yuuri,” Victor proclaims, still a bit drowsy sounding. The medic chuckles, and behind him he can see Yakov’s lip twitch up, just slightly. 

“Okay, I’m sure they won’t object to that,” the medic says and Victor smiles, trying to lean closer to Yuuri. It’s hard with all the gear, and Yuuri and the medic help Victor to the side, pulling his jersey over his head and removing his protective gear, leaving him only in his white long sleeve shirt. He seems to become more and more lucid the longer they wait, and when the ambulance comes he’s almost back to normal, even if he still has trouble walking. 

Yuuri gets to sit with him in the back of the ambulance, the paramedics asking similar questions to what the medic at the rink did, doing things like checking Victor's vision, blood pressure and pulse. When they get to the hospital the nurse meeting them does the tests again, then moves them to a room where they wait for a doctor. Victor can move normally now, and even if he still can't remember the incident, he acts like he usually does, pulling Yuuri close to his side as soon as he’s able, kissing his cheek and telling him how pretty he looks in Victor’s jersey. 

When the doctor is done doing the same tests once again, Victor’s mother finds them. She’s obviously relieved to hear that the doctor agrees with the medic, paramedic and nurse that it’s probably only a concussion. He orders an MRI and when it’s done and they’ve checked it and cleared Victor from any major brain injury, it’s late. Yuuri is so tired and hungry, and Victor is resting against him, yawning, as they move out of the E.R. 

“I don’t want you to go home,” Victor says, pressing his forehead against Yuuri’s temple and Yuuri feels like he might cry from how sad it makes him to even think about going back to his own bed and not be with Victor right now. 

“I don’t want to either,” Yuuri says, leaning further into Victor. “You think your mom would let me stay if I could convince mine?” 

Victor nods and turns to his mother who, after a few questions and reprimand of them ‘taking it easy’ and Victor needing to rest, she agrees. 

Yuuri texted his mother when they got to the hospital, so she didn’t worry about him not coming home, so she knows the situation and where he is. Maybe she’ll understand. He picks up his phone, determination filling him as he scrolls down to his mother’s contact and presses call. 

“Yuuri!” she answers, voice a bit rushed. “How’s Victor?” 

“He’s okay. He has a concussion,” Yuuri says, shuffling a little, one arm wrapped around Victor’s waist, Victor still leaning on him, arm resting across Yuuri’s shoulder. 

“Oh, thank goodness everything turned out alright. Are you on your way back now?”

“Uhm, yeah… Mom? Could I please,  _ please  _ stay at Victor’s tonight?”

There’s a deep sigh on the other line, one Yuuri has heard many times when asking this question. Yuuri waits, almost holds his breath, but the line stays quiet. 

“Please,” he begs, hand on Victor’s waist squeezing tighter. His mother sighs again, and Yuuri is sure she’s about to tell him he has to come home. His heart sinks, feeling tears burn in his eyes because it isn’t fair. 

“Can I talk to Victor’s mother?” she asks instead, and Yuuri stutters out a surprised response before handing the phone over to Anna who takes it as they continue across the large parking lot. 

“What did she say?” Victor asks, pulling Yuuri closer to him. His hair is still in that messy crown braid, and he looks tired. He’s also still in that long sleeve t shirt, his mother’s jacket hanging over his shoulders to shield him from the february cold as they walk towards her car. He looks a mess, but he’s still breathtaking. Yuuri’s so glad he’s okay. 

“I’m really glad you’re feeling better,” Yuuri says instead of answering the question, and Victor nods, pressing closer to Yuuri again, kissing the hair right by his temple. 

“I can’t believe you got to me so fast,” Victor says, both of them trailing behind his mother who’s still on the phone with Yuuri’s. “Although it’s a bit of a blur.” 

“I knew something was up with that player, he kept getting too close to you, aggressively,” Yuuri states, pursing his lips and Victor nods, brows furrowing. 

“He told me before the game that he was going to take me out, I guess he was right.” 

Yuuri lets out a long breath. It’s so stupid. How can someone be so mean? To someone they haven’t even met before! Yuuri’s not sure how he’s going to handle this when this becomes every game. When there will be fights on the ice and people who’s looking to take Victor out every game. 

“I should steal his skates or something. He doesn’t deserve to be on the ice if he’s going to behave like that,” Yuuri states, drawing a soft laugh from Victor. 

“My knight in shining armor, defending my honour,” he says and Yuuri rolls his eyes, but still bushes. He definitely wants to defend Victor’s honor. Defend him anyway he can. 

“I would defend you from everything I could,” Yuuri admits, and even in the dark light of the parking lot he can see the blush on top of Victor’s cheekbones. 

“Best boyfriend,” Victor says as they come to a stop next to the car, leaning down to softly brush their lips together. Yuuri’s heart flutters by the softness of it, hands gripping at the sides of the jacket, pushing up on his toes to press closer. He’s so in love with Victor, so crazily in love. Victor’s lips are soft, always so soft, and Yuuri takes the upper one between his own, feeling the wetness of Victor’s mouth against his lower lip, making his heart jump. It’s dizzying, and Yuuri has to pull back because his head is spinning, mind fogging with the intensity that is Victor. 

“You’re making me dizzy again, Yuuri,” Victor jokes, and Yuuri sort of wants to push at him for making such stupid jokes, even if his heart does a double beat. It’s nice to know he’s affecting Victor too, even if Yuuri will never understand why. 

“Not funny,” he mumbles anyway and Victor laughs again. It’s a lovely sound. A few meters away, Yuuri hears Victor’s mother saying goodbye and hangs up the phone. Nerves twists his stomach as he looks over at her, soft smile on her face.

“Alright, guess it’s a sleepover. Get in,”  she says, and Yuuri’s jaw drops. 

“Really?” Victor says, surprise and joy evident in his voice.

“Yep, now come on. You must be starving.”

They stop by a fast food place and get burgers, something that’s most definitely not on Yuuri’s diet plan but for the moment he doesn’t care. Victor is okay, and after months of longing and nagging at his parents they’re finally having a sleepover again. Yuuri feels a little giddy with it, even if he’s completely exhausted. 

They take the bag of food with them to Victor’s room, eating on the floor in front of the tv, watching a movie. Yuuri’s not really paying attention to it, he’s too busy laughing at Victor calling out all that’s wrong with it, and sneaking in kisses in between french fries and soda. 

When all the food has been eaten the focus turns completely from the movie to kisses. It’s so easy for Yuuri to lose himself against Victor’s lips. It’s like he doesn’t need anything with his own pressed against his boyfriend’s warm wet ones. It’s still chaste, even if they sometimes deepen them, try to press closer. Yuuri is glad Victor has never tried anything more though. As much as he likes Victor, he’s not ready yet. Hopefully Victor feels the same. 

The end credits have started rolling when they break apart, smiling widely at each other with blushing cheeks. Victor’s hair is still in the braided crown, still a mess. Yuuri can’t hold back as he reaches a hand to brush over the escaped strands. 

“Can I brush it?” Yuuri asks, regretting it almost immediately because  _ oh god that’s so embarrassing why did he ask that?  _ Thankfully Victor’s face spreads into a big smile and he nods, frowning has he does.

“Ouch, that hurt,” he says, hand coming up to rub at his forehead. “Kiss it better?” he asks, fluttering his eyelashes a little and even if Yuuri is sure he’s blushing red as a tomato, he does, leaning forward and presses his lips carefully against Victor’s forehead, hearing his boyfriend sigh happily as he does. 

They get off the floor and make their way to the bathroom. Victor shrieks when he sees his hair but with one pleading look from Yuuri he leaves it as they brush their teeth, and bring the hairbrush with them back to Victor’s room. Yuuri gets to borrow one of Victor’s t shirts again, and it’s large enough to cover half of Yuuri’s thighs, but he doesn’t mind because it smells like Victor and it’s soft and cosy and he can’t believe his mother finally caved and that he’s finally going to get to sleep in Victor’s arms again! 

They settle on the bed, Yuuri carefully plucking out the bobby pins after Victor’s instructions of where to find them. He then softly pulls the elastic out, taking the braid apart. Victor’s hair is slightly wavy after being in the briad for so long, and Yuuri carefully cards his fingers through it, feeling the smoothness of the strands flow between his fingers. Wow. 

“Start at the bottom and work the knots out from there before moving up,” Victor says, punctuating with a yawn. Yuuri sits back on his knees, starting to move though the strands with the brush. The hair is more messy than tangled, and after what feels like no time at all he’s got it all brushed out, just continuing to brush through it to continue to feel the silkyness of it. Victor continues to yawn, and eventually Yuuri puts the brush down, parting the hair into three sections before he makes a quick braid, pushing it over Victor’s shoulder. 

Victor turns, smiling but eyes tired. “Thank you sweet thing,” he says, pulling Yuuri down into the bed with him, covering them both with the covers. “Good night.”

Yuuri cuddles close, so incredibly happy. 

“Good night.” 

There’s a skip in Yuuri’s step as he moves down the hall with a box in his hands. The corridors are filled with students standing by lockers with boxes just like Yuuri’s, packed with brightly colored papers, photos and various decorations, smiling and blushing as they decorate lockers for partners or friends. It’s Valentine's Day, and Yuuri is going to make Victor the prettiest locker ever. It’s only what he deserves. 

Yuuri came to school finding a fully decorated locker, insides covered in deep blue and deep pink fabric, looking almost like Yuuri’s short program costume and Victor’s hockey jersey hanging next to each other. There was strings with glittering pearls hanging from the roof, and the inside was filled with little love notes, scratched out in Victor’s handwriting. Declaration after declaration to how much Victor liked him, and how happy Yuuri makes him. Yuuri thought his heart would explode when he saw it, how much time his boyfriend had put down into decorating it. On the front of the locker, for everyone to see, there’s a large heart with the letters ‘Victor <3 Yuuri forever’. How this became Yuuri’s life he will never know. He hurried to geography class, only to run back afterwards, grabbing his box to hurry to decorate Victor’s locker at recess. Victor would expect to see him in the Hangout Hall and Yuuri hopes the extra time will be enough to get all the decorations up. 

He turns the corner into the 300 corridor, zick zacking between students to get to Victor’s locker. He moves the box to his left hip, grabbing the lock with his right hand to turn the combination into the lock. Victor gave it to him months ago, just like Yuuri had given him his.

The locker door opens and Yuuri places the box between his feet, starting to pull out Victor’s books and place them next to it on the floor, leaving the locker empty for decorations. 

He grabs the black paper, sticking them with double sided tape to the inside of all the sides of the locker. He then pulls up the glow in the dark stars he picked up at the craft store and starts plastering them inside the locker, making it look like a starclad sky. Yuuri takes a step back to look at his creation before he steps close again, moving some of the stars until it’s perfect. From the locker roof he fastens fishing lines with star shaped pictures of them glued to it. It’s pictures from the ice rink, photos Phichit has taken at school when no one was looking, a selfie Victor took the morning of their second sleepover in Victor’s room. 

Yuuri covers the inside of the locker’s door with star shaped pictures of them too, a deep purple heart in the middle with the words ‘I like you more than katsudon’ carefully written on it. Yuuri steps back again and smiles. It looks perfect. Not as pretty as Victor’s of course, but hopefully his boyfriend will like it anyway. 

Yuuri carefully places the school books back, careful not to disturb the decorations. He finds the box of chocolates he bought in the decoration box and puts it on one of the locker shelves, well within view. Victor loves chocolates, so he should definitely have some on valentines day. 

Yuuri closes the locker and picks up the last piece of decoration. It’s a photo of them sitting on the floor of Chris’ room, Yuuri sitting resting against Victor’s chest, his boyfriend’s arms wrapped around his waist. Yuuri’s turned so he’s looking up at Victor, and Victor is looking down at him with the softest smile in the world. It’s Yuuri’s favourite picture of them. In the bottom right corner Yuuri’s glued a heart, and his heart races as he tapes the photo to the locker door, his own handwriting with the words ‘I love you’ staring back at him. They haven’t said it yet, and this might be a bit of a coward's way to do it, but Victor might find it romantic? Yuuri hopes he does. He lets out a breath slowly, starting to reach down to pick up the box. He’ll go find Victor now and kiss him and thank him for his pretty locker. 

His hand is just brushing the edge of the box when it slides away from him. Shocked Yuuri follow it as it slides across the floor away from him. He looks up and spots one of Victor’s classmates standing next to him, one eyebrow raised. A realisation that the box was kicked from his grasp hitting Yuuri, filling him with anger. He rises with wide eyes, taking the other student in. He has his locker next to Victor’s, and Yuuri’s seen him a few times when coming to talk to Victor. They’ve never spoken, and Yuuri can’t think of a single reason why he would be mad at him.

“Why did you do that?” Yuuri asks, taking a few steps away and picks up the box so no one steps on it or trips. The other student rolls his eyes and Yuuri frowns. “What?”

“You think you can just come decorate Victor’s locker? I have to look at that shit now,” he says, motioning to the picture of Yuuri and Victor on the locker door. “It makes me sick.” 

Yuuri sighs. This isn’t the first time someone has commented on his and Victor’s relationship. Yuuri’s lost count on how many people have come up to him telling him that Victor deserves better and that he should back off. He’s so sick of it. 

The boy reaches a hand out and Yuuri sees him reach for the photo and Yuuri moves as if on instinct, the box clattering to the floor as he manages to shove the other boy away. 

“Stop!” Yuuri shouts as his hands collide with the other boy’s chest. Yuuri’s much smaller, the guy being part of the hockey team making him much broader than Yuuri, but he manages to push him back slightly anyway, probably because the boy wasn’t expecting it. 

“Did you just shove me?” the boy asks when he finds his feet again, Yuuri placing himself protectively in front of the locker. “I’m gonna kick your ass for that.” 

A frightened shiver runs though Yuuri’s body. He’s never been in a fight before. He didn’t really mean to shove the other boy but he was going to ruin his decorations and Yuuri couldn't have that. 

“You were going to ruin it,” Yuuri protests as the other boy steps closer. Yuuri can see the students around them stepping back, eyes wide. Yuuri’s heart starts racing in his chest. Are none of them going to help him? 

“Yeah, that was the point!” the boy shouts rushing forward and Yuuri takes a frightened step backwards, back hitting the locker as he throws his arms up to protect his face. He thinks he hears someone call his name but the blood is rushing in his ears and he can’t think. His heart is fearfully  pounding in his chest, prepared for the impact. Will this break his arm? Will he miss the World Championship now?

The punch never comes. Yuuri feels like he waits forever, even if it must just be seconds.  

“Joel, what are you doing!?” Victor shouts, and that’s what makes Yuuri pulls his arms from his face. Victor is standing in front of him, back to him as he looks down at the other student, Joel, on the floor. Victor is breathing heavily, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. Yuuri can feel himself tremble, letting out a slow breath of relief. Victor seems to hear him, turning away from Joel to face Yuuri instead. Yuuri’s hand finds his shoulder as Victor’s warm one cups his cheek. 

“You okay?” he asks, pulling Yuuri close to his side under his arm. Yuuri’s heat is still racing but it’s slowly calming down, the feeling of adrenaline filling his body still there. 

“Yeah, I- He got angry and I don’t know why and then he tried to ruin the decoration,” Yuuri says as he tries to gather himself, tries to explain. He can’t grasp how everything happened so fast.   
“Okay,” Victor says, just as Joel gets up off the floor. Victor must have pulled him away when Yuuri was trying to cover himself. 

“He pushed me!” Joel protests and Victor’s eyes widen as he turns to Yuuri who feels himself blush. 

“He was going to ruin the picture,” Yuuri explains, turning slightly towards the locker to motion towards the photo, but turns back at the sound of Victor’s laugh.

“So brave Yuuri,” Victor says, eyes falling on the photo and text behind Yuuri. He can see the exact second Victor sees the love declaration, pink flooding his cheeks and eyes dancing with joy. Around them students have started to scatter away, the excitement of the fight gone. Yuuri doesn’t know if Joel is still there or not, but he doesn’t care. It feels like his heart is beating in his throat as he waits for Victor’s reaction. 

“Yuuri,” Victor breaths, both of his hands finding Yuuri’s cheeks, eyes searching. “You love me?” 

Yuuri nods, mind racing as his eyes search his boyfriend's face. Is it too much? Will Victor laugh at him? Say he doesn’t feel the same? Yuuri doesn’t know what he’ll do if he does. Move to the north pole, maybe. Hide in shame forever. Yep. That’s a solid plan. Victor doesn’t reject him however, he presses them closer together, forehead to forehead.

“I love you too.” 

Yuuri barely has time to register the words before Victor’s lips press against his, warm and smiling. Yuuri smiles into the kiss too, heart flooding with relief and love. 

  
The air rushes through Yuuri’s hair as he peddles faster. The late March sun warms his face as he hurries, a wide smile on his face and the heavy, but light to bear, weight of a bronze medal hanging around his neck underneath his jacket. 

Bronze.

In his first ever World Championship, Yuuri had taken bronze!

It was only the juniors, and Yuuri had been no where near the two skaters competing for the two top spots, not in base value or over all score, but the fight for the bronze had been intense, and Yuuri had come out on top. He’s been away for a week and a half, getting the full World Championship experience, Minako coming with him. Victor wanted to come as well, but his parents told him no. It was too expensive, he would miss too much school and hockey. Yuuri understands, but he’s missed him terribly, even though they’ve been texting and Face timing every day. Victor screamed out of joy when Yuuri called him after the medal ceremony, having watched the whole thing online with their friends.

Yuuri slows the bike when he spots Victor’s apartment building, jumping off before it comes to a stop. He locks it quickly, rushing through the entryway and up the stairs to the top floor. The door is already open when he reaches it, Victor standing with open arms on the inside, capturing Yuuri as he flings himself at his boyfriend, Victor lifting him off the floor as they embrace, both of them erupting into giggles. Victor smells like vanilla from his conditioner, he’s warm and soft and Yuuri’s missed him like crazy. They are both grinning when Victor puts him down. 

“Show me,” Victor demands, and Yuuri hurries to shrug his jacket off, smiling as he sees Victor’s smile soften as he spot his own sweater on Yuuri’s frame. Yuuri’s basically lived in Victor's clothes when they’ve been apart, the fabric making him feel a little more like Victor is with him, even though he couldn’t be there in person. He pulls carefully at the ribbon around his neck, pulling the medal from its hiding place. Victor cups his hands around it immediately. 

“Wow,” he breathes, thumbs caressing the metal before looking up, giving Yuuri a quick peck on the lips, eyes glittering. “Coolest boyfriend ever. I’m so proud of you. You deserve it.” 

Yuuri can feel himself flushing under the praise, leaning forward to peck at Victor’s lips again. His boyfriend's smile is radiant when he pulls back, lacing their fingers together. 

“Come, Makka has missed you too,” Victor says, pulling Yuuri further into the apartment. They sit down in Victor’s room, Yuuri running his hands through Makkachin’s fur as he coos over her, telling Victor about everything that happened, even if he’s already said it over the phone. Victor sits next to him, and when Yuuri looks over he can see him furrowing his brows. Worry starts pooling in his gut, the feeling only confirmed as Victor turns his attention fully at him. 

“Yuuri, I- I have to tell you something,” he says, and Yuuri’s breath catches. This is how break up starts? Right? Yuuri’s heart is pounding and he bites the inside of his cheek, trying not to tremble. 

“I’ve been scouted by a team. For their junior team,” Victor says, and now it’s Yuuri’s turn to frown, confused.

“That’s amazing. That’s what you wanted right?” Yuuri asks. Getting scouted for high school is rare, and only a few of the national teams offer school with practice. Anyone who wants to play hockey would be thrilled, so why does Victor look so sad?

“It is.. It’s in a city four hours away by car.”

Oh. 

_ Oh. _

“Oh,” Yuuri says, emotions a turmoil inside him. On one hand he’s so happy for Victor, so thrilled that he gets to have something like that, to be able to chase his dream. At the same time it hurts. Four hours is far away, especially with none of them being able to get a driver's license for another three years, when they’re eighteen. 

“I don’t want to break up,” Victor rushes out, grabbing Yuuri’s hands and pull him into an embrace. “I love you. I don’t want to break up. Ever.”

Yuuri lets out a deep breath, a fear he hadn’t realised he had being soothed by Victor's words, he rests his head on Victor’s shoulder, pressing his lips against his neck. “Me neither. What are we going to do?” Yuuri whispers. 

“They told me three days ago, so I’ve had some time to do research,” Victor says and Yuuri smiles, because that’s so Victor. “And they have a figure skating program too.” 

Yuuri has to straighten, blinking a few times as he looks into Victor’s eyes. “What? That exists?” 

Victor nods, hand caressing some of his own hair behind his ear. “Yeah, like four in the entire country. From what I read this school has a pretty good one. It’s not only by scouting either, anyone can apply. And I mean, you’re junior National Champion. How could they not want you?” Victor says, smile proud. Yuuri blushes but smiles to. 

“That’s a year away though,” Yuuri says, anxiety twisting in his stomach. They’ve barely been together six months. Who knows where  they’ll be in a year. Not to mention how Yuuri’s going to convince his parents to let him move away. 

“I know,” Victor agrees, voice soft. “I’ll try to come home, and maybe we can convince your parents to let you visit? There is a train that goes straight from here to there, and it only takes two and a half hours.” 

“Will the school let me stay with you? Do you get a dorm?” Yuuri asks and Victor nods, smiling a little but eyes still sad. 

“Yeah, it’s all in this information pack they sent me. I won’t be practicing on the weekends, since we’ll do it during the school week, unless there is an away game or something.”

“We’ll be apart a lot,” Yuuri says, sadness filling him. It won’t be like now, when they see each other almost every day. Victor nods, eyes sad too. It breaks Yuuri’s heart. 

“I know. But I want it to work more than anything. And I know it won’t be easy, because now that you’re a World Championship bronze medalist I’m sure you’ll get even more funding and practice even more, but I- I can’t stand the idea of not being with you, Yuuri. Do you think you could try? For me?” 

“For me too, I don’t want to break up either. I love you.” 

“Okay, good. We’ll make it Yuuri. I’ll make sure of it.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH NO UPCOMING SEPARATION. Baaabieees. :sobs:
> 
> Next update: September 5th
> 
> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think in the comment section or on other platforms like:  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/linisen) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mjaoue)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victor smiles as he places the white flower crown on Yuuri’s head, watching his boyfriend blush up to his ears. God, he’s so cute. How did Victor get a boyfriend that’s so cute? He’s so, so lucky. He adjusts the flowers a little, and when he’s sure the crown lays perfectly he leans down to peck at Yuuri’s nose once, smile widening when Yuuri squeals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betaed by the great [takeitoffhemmo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/takeitoffhemmo). Thank you for all the help you give darling, I'd be lost without you! 
> 
> This is the final chapter of this arc, but at the end notes there might be a surprise ;)
> 
> Thank you for all the love this story has gotten. I'm so happy so many as enjoyed reading this and every kudos and comment has warmed my heart and made me smile. Thank you <3

Victor smiles as he places the white flower crown on Yuuri’s head, watching his boyfriend blush up to his ears. God, he’s so cute. How did Victor get a boyfriend that’s so cute? He’s so, so lucky. He adjusts the flowers a little, and when he’s sure the crown lays perfectly he leans down to peck at Yuuri’s nose once, smile widening when Yuuri squeals. 

“I can’t believe you got him a flower crown and not just flowers, he’s not even graduating,” Chris points out, and Victor turns to face him, sliding an arm around Yuuri’s shoulders, feeling his boyfriend wrap an arm around his waist, pulling him close. Chris is standing next to the rest of their group of friends, unimpressed look on his face. They are all in their finest clothes for Junior High Graduation, boys in suits and Yuuko in a flowery dress. For four of them it’s the last day of Junior High. After the summer Chris, Takeshi and Yuuko will start at the local High School. Phichit, Leo, Guang Hong and Yuuri will stay one more year at Aria, and Victor will move away to live alone in a city he’s only visited once. Far away from this wonderful group. Far away from Yuuri. The grip he has around Yuuri tightens, and Yuuri follows into the embrace, the roses resting against Yuuri’s hair brushing Victor’s cheek.

“Doesn't matter. Yuuri worked hard this year, he deserves flowers!” Victor proclaims, and Yuuri turns his head to press soft lips to Victor’s jaw, making a shiver run through his body and a smile spread on his face.

“You worked hard too,” Yuuri says and Victor turns away from their friends to look down at him. He’s in a black suit, which makes him look so much older than his fourteen years. His hair is pushed back like on the ice and still in his glasses. “I wish I could have gotten you something better.” Yuuri reaches out and adjusts the small bouquet pinned to the lapel of Victor’s dark grey suit. White roses and blue cornflowers. Yuuri’s favorites. 

“It’s prefect!” Victor exclaims. “We match.” 

He heard Chris sigh and lays off with one last kiss to Yuuri’s temple. He knows Chris has been feeling like a third wheel lately, even if they often hang out all of them. Before Yuuri, Victor and Chris did most things together, either alone or with Yuuko and Takeshi. Now it feels like almost their entire group is made out of couples, with both Yuuko and Takeshi getting together and Leo and Guang Hong being a couple as well. Only Phichit and Chris remain single, and Victor can understand how his best friend might feel lonely. He should really spend some more time with Chris, it’s just so hard to tear himself away from Yuuri. 

“Okay, so are we all going our separate ways to celebrate with our parents?” Yuuko asks looking around the group. “And then we’ll met back at Takeshi’s before we go to the dance?”

They all agree, everyone going their separate ways to catch up with siblings and parents. Victor's parents had been there for the graduation ceremony and when he got his grades, but they both had to hurry back to work after that. Instead, him and Yuuri are going to go on a celebratory date at a diner, before heading over to Yuuri’s to get ready for the night.

“How does it feel to have done your last day at Aria?” Yuuri asks, swinging their laced together hands between them as they head into town. Victor glances over and there’s a soft smile on Yuuri’s face, eyes bright behind the blue rimmed glasses. 

“Weird?” Victor admits as they walk down familiar street. “I mean... I’ve enjoyed junior high, especially this last year.” He bumps Yuuri’s hip with his own, making Yuuri let out a startled yelp and then laugh, tugging on Victor’s hand until their lips meet in a quick kiss before continuing to walk in the summer sun. 

“It’s strange to think I’m not going to be living here anymore. I’m a bit worried about if all the other players will know each other, and if the dorms are going to suck. Mostly I’m scared I’ll miss you too much,” Victro admits. He’s never had a hard time making friends, but what if he will this time? What if they are all better at hockey than him and his dream fades? What if Yuuri tires of the distance and breaks up with him?

“Victor…” Yuuri says, voice soft, equal parts consoling and sad. Victor looks back down at him, heart swelling. They’ve reached the diner now and Victor can’t resist pulling Yuuri into his arms to hug him, hard.

“We’re going to be okay right?” Victor asks, even if they’ve had this conversation a billion times since March, both of them worried at different times as the months passed. Yuuri holds on tight too, pressing his face into Victor’s neck, flowers from the crown tickling his jaw. 

“Yes. It will be hard, but I love you. We’ll just have to work hard to not lose each other,” Yuuri says and Victor nods, pulling back to kiss his forehead. 

“You’re right.” He lets out a sigh as he steps back, lacing their fingers together as he steps back. “Now come, I’m starving!” 

 

The graduation school dance mostly contains of uptempo music, and they all dance themselves sweaty, suit jackets left on chairs by the sides as they jump, scream-singing and laughing. Phichit and Chris take to act out some of the songs dramatically on the dance floor. Guang Hong’s blushing completely scarlet as Leo kisses him. Yuuri swaying his hips in perfect sync with the music. Victor’s going to miss all of them. A part of him wishes he would have turned down the offer to be recruited. To go to the local High School, the one he always thought he would go to. Continue to hang out with his best friends, even if they would be in different programs and some of them in another school. They would still be close, meet in hallways and after school. Life could continue like this, with movie nights at Chris’, ice skating at the Nishigori rink, driving his moped around town with Yuuri pressed close to his back. It feels like a huge price to pay. Still, Victor really loves hockey. He wants to be the best hockey player there is. This way he has a chance. 

The night’s grown late, and Yuuri is pressed to his chest, swaying to the slow love song. Next to them other couples dance, pressed close together as well. Victor guesses Leo and Guang Hong is somewhere in the crowd of people, and Yuuko and Takeshi as well. Chris is probably hanging out with some of the others from the hockey team by the bar that only serves water and soda. 

Yuuri’s warm in his embrace, arms wrapped around Victor’s neck, cheek to cheek. His white shirt is rumpled from all the dancing, and his styled back hair has started to come undone. Victor loves him more than he ever thought was possible. He’s so happy things worked out. 

How he spotted Yuuri and how Yuuko introduced them. How they got to know each other and how they both have been there for each other through the year. It feels a bit early to think about forever, but Victor can’t imagine feeling like this for anyone else. 

“I like this song,” Yuuri whispers into his ear and Victor nods, tightening his grip on Yuuri’s waist. “It always makes me think of you.” 

“Everything makes me think of you,” Victor whispers back and Yuuri buries his face deeper into Victor’s neck for a second, before coming up to kiss his lips, once, twice and then deeper. Yuuri’s fingers press against his neck, pulling them closer together as Victor keeps them steady with his hands on Yuuri’s waist, love filling his entire being.  

 

“Victor!” 

Victor turns towards the sound, smile spreading across his face as he spots Yuuri by the opening in the rink, smile equally wide. Victor’s been doing some practicing with some of his Junior High teammates for the afternoon, just playing for fun. The other players stepped off the ice a few minutes ago, Victor staying behind since he wasn’t meeting Yuuri until later. Seems his boyfriend’s meeting ended earlier than expected. Victor glides to the barrier to meet him, heart thumping in his chest. 

“Hi! Did the meeting go well?”

He pulls off his gloves, but before he’s done Yuuri’s unclasped his helmet, pulling it off. Victor smiles, leaning forward as his boyfriend’s hands come up to cup his face. Yuuri pushes forward over the barrier and their lips press against each other, Victor’s cold from the rink against Yuuri’s warm ones. A tension Victor didn’t know he’s been holding drops from his shoulders and he grabs the barrier to press closer, sighing against Yuuri’s lips. 

How will he manage without seeing Yuuri like this in the year to come? And maybe even longer if Yuuri’s parents don't let him come to the same school as Victor. His mother says that Victor survived without Yuuri before, and he can do it again, but it’s not the same. Now he knows how it feels to sleep next to Yuuri, to kiss his lips and feel his warmth pressed against his skin. Now he knows how it feels to laugh until he gets the hiccups and continue laughing. Now he knows how it feels to have someone to call in the middle of the night when he’s sad, and have someone answer with a yawn, but always willing to listen. Even with all of Yuuri’s reassurances, Victor still feels like he’s letting him down. He’s the one moving away, and even if he’s looking forward to it so much, to get to play hockey with better coaches and teammates and grow as a player, he feels like a crappy boyfriend. 

Yuuri pulls back first, content smile on his lips, and Victor’s heart does a flip. There’s a soft pink dusting Yuuri’s cheeks, and Victor’s not sure if it’s from the cold or the kiss, but he has to lean forward to peck at Yuuri’s lips again, just because he’s so cute. 

“Meeting went well,” Yuuri says with a smile, glancing back at his bag. “Do you want to see it?” 

Victor’s eyes widen as his eyes darts to the bag as well, excitement filling him. 

“You brought it with you?” he asks and Yuuri nods and smiles, blush spreading up to his ears. 

“Yeah I- I really wanted you to see it. Should I go put it on?” 

Victor nods enthusiastically and Yuuri lets out a small excited squeal, turning to grab his bag and rush down from the players bench, probably to find a bathroom to change in. 

Yuuri’s been training hard for the next skating season, making new programs with his new coach and Minako. He really wants to come out strong with new programs now that he will be entering a competition series called the ‘Grand Prix’. Victor’s never heard of it before, but apparently it’s a big deal in the skating world. This will be the first time Yuuri competes in it, and Victor is sure he’s going to knock all of them by surprise. He’s seen parts of the new programs when they’ve skated together during the summer, Yuuri falling into choreography and step sequences as they cross the ice. Victor can never look away. Yuuri is just as breathtaking on the ice now as he was the first time Victor saw him. Today, Yuuri’s been on the final fitting for new his free skate costume and Victor can’t wait to see him in it. 

He skates back on the ice, making lazy strokes as he switches from forward to backwards and back. He wonders what the ice rink at the new school will look like. Probably bigger with larger stands and locker rooms. He hopes he will like it there. Hopes he’ll get along with his teammates. He’s completely in his own world, and doesn't realise Yuuri’s come back until he hears strokes graze the ice. Yuuri’s skates are always so quiet on the ice, unlike the hockey players that cut hard into it. Yuuri sometimes teases Victor for destroying the ice with his hard pushes into it, hacking it up he says.  Victor always says that it’s impossible for everyone to be as beautiful and graceful as Yuuri, which makes Yuuri blush. 

Victor turns with a smile, and his entire stomach erupts with butterflies. 

The costume is gorgeous. The dark blue, almost black pants hug his legs perfectly. The top is in dark blue silk, deep cleavage lined with gold embroidery up to the shoulders and out on the arms where the fabric turns sheer, covering his entire arms. He looks like something from a fairytale or movie.  

“Yuuri,” Victor breathes, having a hard time finding words for how magnificent his boyfriend looks. “Wow.” 

“You like it?” Yuuri asks, circling Victor. The tips of his ears are red, but the tone of his voice is confident, and Victor can see the slight smirk on his face. A shiver runs down his spine. Cute, blushing Yuuri is almost too much to handle, confident Yuuri always melts Victor into a puddle. 

The light in the rink goes down, only a few of the spotlight they use for games remaining. Victor startles, but Yuuri continues to skate confidently, legs moving into those intricate steps that looks like he’s barely touching the ice with the blades. 

“I asked Linnéa to turn them down when she was leaving, she left the door to lock itself when we leave,” Yuuri says and Victor’s heart flutters, watching as the gold in Yuuri’s costume glitters in the new light. 

“You look like a prince,” Victor says, continuing to turn so he can keep his eyes on Yuuri. Yuuri turns now too, movements so fluent as he glides across the ice. His brown eyes are glittering and his smile is radiant. Victor is so gone. 

“Really?” Yuuri giggles, skating closer. He stops just in front of Victor, going down in a deep bow. “Will you grace your prince with a dance then?” 

The butterflies in Victor’s stomach does somersaults as Yuuri rises, holding his hand out for Victor to take. He reaches for him immediately, the smile on Yuuri’s face growing wider as he pulls Victor into a waltz hold, skating backwards slowly. They skate around slowly, Victor just enjoying the way it feels to have Yuuri in his arms, leaning down occasionally to peck at his lips in soft kisses.

“You think I have a chance to wow the judges in this?” Yuuri asks after they’ve skated numerous laps around the rink. Victor laughs because if it were up to him, Yuuri could go out there and simply skate circles around the rink and he would be the best. He doesn’t say so though. He knows how hard Yuuri works to be better, to jump higher, spin faster, rotate more laps. He doesn't want Yuuri to think he doesn’t see that. That he doesn’t believe in him. Victor believes in him more than anything. 

“I think you look beautiful. They would be fools not to see it,” Victor says instead, getting to see Yuuri’s gorgeous flush spread on his cheeks. “I think you’ll have a great season, just like this one.” 

“I hope so,” Yuuri sighs, pressing a little closer, making them turn slightly in their dance. “I still can barely believe most of this year’s been real. It feels like way too many of my dreams came true.” 

“For me too,” Victor agrees. “Maybe we just give each other luck.”

“Definitely,” Yuuri agrees. “You were part of that you know? I had the biggest crush on you even before I came to Aria.” 

“Yuuri,” Victor sighs, pulling them to a close so he can rest his forehead against Yuuri’s. His heart is racing so fast, trying to wrap his mind around Yuuri having a crush on him, just like Victor had a crush on Yuuri those first weeks of school. “I love you so much.” 

“I love you too,” Yuuri says. “It will be fine Victor. We’ll be fine.”

“Yeah. I’m never letting you go.” 

 

Two months pass far too quick, even if they spend most days together, and almost every Friday and Saturday nights sleeping in each other's arms. They spend time with their friends as well, skating or going to the beach, visiting amusement parks. As the moving date draws close, Victor can honestly say he’s never had a better summer. 

He’s not sure if it’s better or worse this way. If the separation will just hurt more when he has to be apart from Yuuri. He can’t imagine spending less time with Yuuri than he could. Yuuri helps pack up the things he will need, come with to furniture shop, picking out a couch, coffee table, a bed and a desk for Victor’s small dorm room. He’ll be in an apartment building with all the other students scouted for winter sports not living close enough to be able to ride the bus. He’ll have one room, a bathroom and a small kitchenette, but there’s a larger communal kitchen in the building, as well as a common room. His parents are excited but worried about him, his mother pulling him and Yuuri into cooking classes as she makes dinner and has showed Victor about a gazillion times how to use the washing machine and dryer. 

The night before he’s to leave, Yuuri comes over. He’s had a training session with his new coach that afternoon, and even if it’s a weekday their parents have agreed to let them sleep over. It will be about a month and a half until Victor can come home for the first time, and Yuuri’s parents have said that when Yuuri turns 15 at the end of November he’s allowed to start going up to visit Victor alone, even if it might be difficult in the middle of the skating season. The prospect of being apart feels heart breaking, but Victor’s had an idea that might make it a bit easier. 

They’re in his room, sitting on the bed. Victor’s tugged Yuuri there as soon as he stepped into the room. They’re facing each other, sitting closseleged with their fingers interlaced. Victor’s heart is rushing in his chest, because even if he thinks Yuuri will like it, he’s not sure. And it’s a big deal. Yuuri seems to be able to sense his nerves, because he’s started shifting on the bed, eyes worried. Okay. Victor just needs to get himself together so he can say what ha needs to say. 

“Okay, so… I have something for you, or for us really,” Victor starts, squeezing Yuuri’s hands. He can feel a blush spread up his cheeks as he keeps eye contact with those pretty brown ones. “I just… I want you to know that I mean it when I say that I want us to stay together. That I want to work to make sure we don’t drift apart, even if there's a big distance between us physically.”

He lets go off one of Yuuri’s hands then, reaching to the nightstand to grab the small jewelry box. When he looks back, Yuuri’s cheeks are deep crimson and Victor smiles, feeling his heart race as he opens it, a small gasp falling from Yuuri’s lips as he looks down. 

“Mom says I’m too young to propose,” Victor says, and the meaning of the words feel huge, like he’s promising Yuuri everything, which he is, in a way. “But I thought this could be something to show we belong to each other until then.” 

He looks down at the jewelry box, matching silver necklaces with pendants resting against the velvet. One pendant with ‘YK’ and the other ‘VN’ laying side by side. One for him, one for Yuuri. Victor lets out a shaky breath and looks up, hoping Yuuri will understand how much this means to him, how much Yuuri means to him. Yuuri has one slightly trembling hand over his mouth, the other hand still in Victor’s. His eyes are filled with tears, but he’s smiling. Victor’s heart skips a beat.

“Do you like them?” he asks and is knocked over on the bed, Yuuri throwing himself at him, wrapping his arms around his neck. 

“I love it,” Yuuri sniffles, starting to kiss at his jaw, his chin, his cheek, until his soft lips finds Victor’s lips. Yuuri kisses with urgency, as if he can feel Victor slip away, as if he always wants to hold on. Victor kisses him back, pressing close so he can taste Yuuri on his tongue. They kiss and kiss, until they’re both breathless and flushed, and have to break apart to breathe, smiling widely but eyes filled with tears. 

They untangle slowly, finding the box next to them on the covers. Yuuri goes first to pull the necklace with his own initials out and carefully place it around Victor’s neck. Victor holds his silver hair up to give Yuuri better access. The silver feels cool against his skin, but it fits just right. Yuuri kisses his neck when he’s done, and a tingle rushes through Victor’s body from the contact. 

Victor goes next, Yuuri turning so Victor can slide the necklace around his neck, the pendant resting against the hollow of Yuuri’s throat. It fits perfectly, and Victor is so grateful he gets to call Yuuri his. He pulls his boyfriend back against his chest when he’s done, kissing his cheek. Yuuri hums happily, lacing their fingers together across his stomach. 

“We’ll be alright,” Victor whispers, because they have to. He won't survive otherwise.   
“I know we will,” Yuuri agrees, determination filling his voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, that a bit of a bittersweet ending, go check out the next part if you want to know what happens to these boys in High School. 
> 
> LOOK AT THIS BEAUTIFUL FAN ART BY [ littleluxxie](https://www.deviantart.com/littleluxxie/art/I-m-yours-Victor-and-Yuri-exchanging-necklaces-820198569?ga_submit_new=10%3A1573681749&ga_type=edit&ga_changes=1). So lovely! 
> 
> Thank you for reading, please let me know what you think in the comment section or on other platforms like:  
> [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/linisen) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/mjaoue)


	6. ART

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some commissioned art from the amazing [Ghostly](https://twitter.com/annju_0910?s=17)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!   
> I'm sorry if you expected an update from the story but November is not here just yet. In the meantime enjoy this lovely art.


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